Housing Element Update 2023-2031
The County Housing Element is a component of the County General Plan that primarily addresses housing matters for the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County. Under State law, the Housing Element must be updated on an eight-year cycle, which is overseen by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
The County Housing Element is currently being updated for the sixth cycle, which encompasses the 2023-2031 planning period. The draft updated Housing Element along with the appendices are now available for public review.
The County has prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Housing Element Update (HEU) and the Stanford Community Plan Update. As of June 9, 2023, the EIR is available for public review online, and there are physical copies available for review at the County of Santa Clara Planning Office and select local libraries (listed below).
The first draft of the HEU was circulated for public review and comment from March 21, 2023 to April 20, 2023, and the draft EIR was circulated for public review and comment from June 9, 2023 to July 24, 2023. Following the public review and comment period, the draft HEU was submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review on May 4, 2023. On August 2, 2023, the County received HCD’s feedback on the first draft, and the second draft of the HEU incorporates these comments. The County of Santa Clara’s Board of Supervisors adopted the second draft on October 17, 2023, which was subsequently submitted to HCD on October 19, 2023.
The County prepared Zoning Ordinance amendments related to the HEU which are scheduled to be heard by the Board of Supervisors at the following time and place:
- County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, December 12, 2023, no earlier than 10:00 a.m. This meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, 1st Floor, San Jose, CA 95110. This meeting will be hybrid and can be attended virtually or in person. A link to join the meeting virtually will be published in the agenda, which is available at this web address: https://sccgov.iqm2.com/citizens/default.aspx?.
This project website is your destination for project information. Continue to check back for updates. We encourage you to register for project updates by email so that we can keep you informed of upcoming events, project updates and other ways to get involved. Please contact us at:
County of Santa Clara Planning Office
Attention: Michael Meehan, Principal Planner
County Government Center
70 West Hedding, 7th Floor, East Wing, San José CA 95110
E-mail: [email protected]
Locations where a printed copy of the EIR can be reviewed are:
County of Santa Clara Planning Office
County Government Center
70 West Hedding, 7th Floor, East Wing, San José CA 95110
(408) 299-5700
Bascom Branch Library
1000 South Bascom Avenue
San José, CA 95128
(408) 808-3077
Berryessa Branch Library
3355 Noble Avenue
San José, CA 95132
(408) 808-3050
Cambrian Branch Library
1780 Hillsdale Avenue
San José, CA 95124
(408) 808-3080
Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch Library
3090 Alum Rock Avenue
San José, CA 95127
(408) 808-3090
Hillview Branch Library
1600 Hopkins Drive
San José, CA 95122
(408) 808-3033
Downtown Library
270 Forest Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 329-2436
Mitchell Park Library
3700 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 329-2436
Stanford Community Plan Update
The Stanford University Community Plan is being updated concurrently with the HEU. The two projects share three potential housing sites and an Environmental Impact Report has been prepared to cover both projects. Visit the Stanford Community Plan project website to sign up for updates, learn more about the project, view meetings, and submit your comments.
Draft Housing Element Update
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - Overview of Housing Element Update 2023-2031
- Chapter 2 - Housing Needs and Production
- Chapter 3 - Fifth Cycle Performance Review and Sixth Cycle Housing Strategies and Policies
- Chapter 4 - County Housing Strategies, Policies, and Programs
Draft Housing Element Update Appendices
- Appendix A - County Site Inventory
- Appendix B - Engagement Summaries
- Appendix C - ABAG Housing Needs Data Report
- Appendix D - Race and Homelessness in Santa Clara County
- Appendix E - Urban County Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan
- Appendix F - Community Plan to End Homelessness
- Appendix G - Ending Homelessness: The State of Supportive Housing System Reports
- Appendix H - No Place Like Home Program
- Appendix I - ABAG Segregation Report
- Appendix J - Comment Summary Table
- Appendix K - Status of Programs from 2015 Housing Element Update
- Appendix L - Assessment of Fair Housing
- Appendix M - Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Sites Inventory Analysis
- Appendix N - Assessment of Fair Housing Proposed Goals and Actions and Corresponding Implementation Programs
Associated Documents
- Notice of Public Review - PDF | English | 中文 | Español | Tiếng Việt | Tagalog |
- Project Description - PDF | English | 中文 | Español | Tiếng Việt | Tagalog |
Draft Housing Element Update
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - Overview of Housing Element Update 2023-2031
- Chapter 2 - Housing Needs and Production
- Chapter 3 - Fifth Cycle Performance Review and Sixth Cycle Housing Strategies and Policies
- Chapter 4 - County Housing Strategies, Policies, and Programs
Draft Housing Element Update Appendices
- Appendix A - County Site Inventory
- Appendix B - Engagement Summaries
- Appendix C - ABAG Housing Needs Data Report
- Appendix D - Race and Homelessness in Santa Clara County
- Appendix E - Urban County Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan
- Appendix F - Community Plan to End Homelessness
- Appendix G - Ending Homelessness: The State of Supportive Housing System Reports
- Appendix H - No Place Like Home Program
- Appendix I - ABAG Segregation Report
Final Environmental Impact Report
Draft Environmental Impact Report
- Cover
- Table of Contents
- Chapter 1 - Introduction
- Chapter 2 - Executive Summary
- Chapter 3 - Project Description
- Chapter 4 - Environmental Analysis
- 4.0 - Introduction to the Environmental Analysis
- 4.1 - Aesthetic
- 4.2 - Air Quality
- 4.3 - Biological Resources
- 4.4 - Cultural Resources
- 4.5 - Energy
- 4.6 - Geology
- 4.7 - Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- 4.8 - Hazards and Hazardous Materials
- 4.9 - Hydrology and Water Quality
- 4.10 - Land Use and Planning
- 4.11 - Noise
- 4.12 - Population and Housing
- 4.13 - Public Services and Recreation
- 4.14 - Transportation
- 4.15 - Tribal Cultural Resources
- 4.16 - Utilities and Services Systems
- 4.17 - Environmental Topics Not Subject to Detailed Analysis
- Chapter 5 - Alternatives
- Chapter 6 - Other CEQA Considerations
- Chapter 7 - Report Preparation
-
Appendices
Notice of Availability for Draft Environmental Impact Report
Upcoming Events
- Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting, December 12, 2023, starting at 9:30 a.m. This meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors' Chambers, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, 1st Floor, San José, CA 95110. The meeting can also be attended remotely. The zoom link for the meeting will be posted in the meeting's agenda.
Past Events
- County Planning Commission, November 16, 2023, starting at 9:30 a.m. This meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors' Chambers, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, 1st Floor, San José, CA 95110. This meeting cannot be attended remotely.
- Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting, October 17, 2023, starting at 9:30 a.m. This meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors' Chambers, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, 1st Floor, San José, CA 95110. The meeting can also be attended remotely. The zoom link for the meeting will be posted in the meeting's agenda.
- County Planning Commission, September 28, 2023, starting at 6:00 p.m. This meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors' Chambers, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, 1st Floor, San José, CA 95110. This meeting cannot be attended remotely.
- San Martin Planning Advisory Committee, March 22, 2023, starting at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held at the South County Office Building, 80 West Highland Avenue, San Martin, CA 95046. This meeting cannot be attended remotely.
- County Planning Commission, March 23, 2023, starting at 6:00 p.m. This meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors' Chambers, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, 1st Floor, San José, CA 95110. This meeting cannot be attended remotely.
- Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting, April 18, 2023, starting at 9:30 a.m. This meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors' Chambers, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, 1st Floor, San José, CA 95110. The meeting can also be attended remotely. The zoom link for the meeting will be posted in the meeting's agenda.
- Community Workshop #3 - September 7, 2022 – Time 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM The County presented draft policies to and sought feedback from the community to refine the draft policies, add additional policies, or address issues that may have been missed from previous engagement efforts.
- Recording
- Presentation
- Minutes - English, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt, Tagalog
- Stakeholder Workshop #3 - August 29, 2022 – Time 10:00 AM (Virtual Meeting) The County will present draft update policies to adequately address the identified housing opportunities and challenges in Santa Clara County. Input from Stakeholders will be sought to inform edits to the drafts and/or the addition of new draft policies. A recording of the meeting, presentation slide and summary will be posted after the meeting.
- Recording
- Presentation
- Minutes - English, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt, Tagalog
- Stakeholder Workshop #2 - August 17, 2022, Time 10:00 AM (Virtual Meeting) The County presented County strategies & policies that address the identified housing opportunities and challenges in Santa Clara County. Stakeholders provided their inputs that will inform updated to the Strategies and policies. A recording of the meeting, presentation slide and summary will be posted after the meeting.
- Focused Stakeholder Meeting - Housing Development – August 2, Time 10:00 AM (Virtual Meeting) The County invited affordable housing & housing developers, and housing advocates to discuss challenges to building housing in unincorporated County to be considered in the County’s Housing Element Update.
- Recording
- Presentation
- Minutes - English, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
- Community Workshop #2 - Urban Community - July 21, Time 6:00 PM (Virtual Meeting) The County introduced the Housing Element Update process and sought input on the key issues that the County will be addressing in the update. This community workshop focused on County Islands within cities; neighborhoods that are with Urban Service Areas.
- Urban Focus Meeting Recording
- Presentation
- Minutes - English, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
- Community Workshop #1 - Rural Community - July 19, Time 6:00 PM (Virtual Meeting) The County introduced the Housing Element Update process and sought input on the key issues that the County will be addressing in the update. This community workshop focused on the South County, San Martin, and other rural areas in the county.
- Rural Focus Meeting Recording
- Presentation
- Minutes - English, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
- Stakeholder Workshop #1 - July 6, 10:00 AM An introduction to the Housing Element Update, seeking input on the key issues in the County that should be addressed by the update.
Housing Element law requires local governments to adequately plan to meet their existing and projected housing needs, including their share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). In order to effectively plan for developing and preserving an adequate supply of housing, local jurisdictions must first understand the housing needs in their communities. Accordingly, the Housing Needs section of the Housing Element requires local jurisdictions to provide a descriptive analysis of the housing needs of different populations and the resources available to meet those needs. (Association of Bay Area Governments, 2021)
State Law Requires that the Housing Element include the following sections identified below:
The Housing Element Update must document how the previous Housing Element (2015 - 2022) met the Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) during its eight year implementation cycle and how it approached the amount of housing forecasted to be produced during the same time. Typically, this information is documented in tables demonstrating projected and achieved housing production.
A primary component of Housing Elements is to demonstrate the capacity to accommodate the housing need projected for the community and for each income category. The County demonstrates this through a combination of relaxed zoning for secondary dwellings, higher density student housing on Stanford lands, and overall capacity for homes in rural areas. The Regional Housing Need Allocation for each jurisdiction is divided into income categories. The RHNA for the unincorporated County by income category is shown in the table below:
| Unincorporated Areas in the County of Santa Clara |
|
|---|---|
| Very Low Income | 828 |
| Low Income | 477 |
| Moderate Income | 508 |
| Above Moderate Income | 1,312 |
| Total | 3,125 |
*Very Low Income (<50% of Area Median Income); Low Income (50-80% of Area Median Income); Moderate Income (80 120% of Area Median Income); Above Moderate Income (>120% of Area Median Income). The above allocations are still in draft form and need to be approved by the State of California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD).
The Housing Element Update will document the number of available sites zoned and suitable for the development of housing. For example, the previous Update identified development capacity in Urban Unincorporated Areas, Stanford University Lands and Rural Unincorporated Areas. This analysis paints a picture of the overall land available to develop new housing as an indicator relative to the target set by the California HCD.
This requirement will see the County conduct a broad review and evaluation of governmental factors that influence housing production and affordability. This may include an overview of topics including land use policies and regulations referred to generally as “land use controls,” impact fees, secondary dwelling provisions, building codes, development and site improvement standards, fees and exactions, processing and permitting procedures, special needs housing, and code enforcement among other subjects.
The housing policies and programs developed for the Update are the implementable solutions designed to address housing issues identified through engagement with stakeholders and the community in complement to analysis and best practice review completed by the County of Santa Clara. Policies and programs will cover a broad spectrum of challenges facing the County today as well as issues that are anticipated to emerge over the next eight years.
State housing law requires each jurisdiction’s housing element to include a statement of goals, quantified objectives, and policies relative to the maintenance, preservation, improvement and development of housing. To satisfy this requirement, the County of Santa Clara will provide data summarizing the probable dwellings to be developed over the lifecycle of the Update. It will also include the probable number of dwelling un its to undergo rehabilitation during the same timeframe. This information is typically calculated using historical production data, business cycle information, annexations and changes to zoning and policies.
This dashboard provides key information about population and housing trends in the County of Santa Clara. This information will inform the development of policies and programs for inclusion in the Housing Element Update.
Population Growth (2015 – 2020)
Population has decreased in Unincorporated Santa Clara by 1.5%, and increased in Santa Clara County by 1.6% and the Bay Area by 2.5%
Population by Race (2019)
This graph demonstrates the breakdown of ethnicities in Unincorporated Santa Clara, Santa Clara County and the Bay Area
Jobs to Household Ratio in 2018
The job to household ratio is 1.10 in Unincorporated Santa Clara, 1.71 in Santa Clara County and 1.47 in the Bay Area
Housing Type Trends in 2010 and 2020
This graph demonstrates trends in housing type development in Santa Clara County
Zillow Home Value Growth (2015 – 2020)
The value of homes has grown in Unincorporated Santa Clara by 31%, Santa Clara County by 41% and 29% in the Bay Area
Median growth in Rent Costs (2015 – 2019)
Rent costs have increased in Unincorporated Santa Clara by 13%, Santa Clara County by 32% and 28% in the Bay Area
Household Average Median Income
This graphic shows the percentage of people in different income levels in Unincorporated Santa Clara, Santa Clara County and the Bay Area
5th RHNA Cycle data
This table shows the Regional Housing Needs Assessment values compared to housing units built in the County of Santa Clara for the 5th Cycle across various income categories.
