State law requires each city and county to adopt a general plan containing at least seven elements including housing. Unlike the other mandatory general plan elements, a housing element, must be updated every five years, and is subject to detailed statutory requirements and mandatory review by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The planning period for this Housing Element update will cover July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2014. Jurisdictions located within the region covered by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) are required to submit their adopted Housing Element to the HCD by July 1, 2009.

The Alameda County Housing Element is the primary housing policy document for the unincorporated portions of the County and it provides a comprehensive strategy for promoting the development, preservation, and rehabilitation of safe, decent and affordable housing for all residents.

Work to Date

The Housing Element update was initiated in January 2009 with the creation of a Housing Element project team consisting of staff from both the County's Planning Department and its Department of Housing and Community Development. The update process was proposed to the Commission at its January 20th meeting. At that meeting the Commission established a Subcommittee to oversee the creation of the Housing Element update. Since that initial kick-off, the Subcommittee has met on March 2, April 6, May 4, June 1 and June 15 to discuss working drafts of the major sections of the Housing Element. In addition, the Housing Element has been discussed at a meeting of the Transportation and Planning Committee on February 9, 2009, the Unincorporated Services Committee of the Board of Supervisors on June 24, 2009 and most recently by the Alameda County Planning Commission on July 6, 2009.

Project Status

The Alameda County Planning Commission met on July 6, 2009 to consider the draft Housing Element and Sites Inventory. The Commission recommended that the draft Housing Element be transmitted to the State HCD for review. On September 21, 2009 staff discussed the draft Housing Element with State HCD staff, and on September 25, 2009 formal comments on the text were sent to the County. Click here to access a copy of the letter. Based on the State's comments, staff has produced a Revised Draft Housing Element.

The Housing Element Initial Study (IS) and Negative Declaration (ND) were released on October 26, 2009. The comment period for the IS/ND is from October 26, 2009 to November 30, 3009. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that an IS be performed when there is a project that may cause a direct or indirect change in the environment (Public Resources Code 21065). The County has performed this analysis as required under CEQA and has concluded that there will be no significant adverse environmental impacts from adopting the Housing Element.

Recent Publications

• Comment letter from State HCD, September 25, 2009 (158KB)*
• Revised Draft Housing Element, October 23, 2009 (690KB)*
• Revised Draft Sites Inventory, Appendix A, October 23, 2009 (104KB)*
  • Sub-table: Vacant Parcels (28KB)*
  • Sub-table: Lots with merger potential (103KB)*
  • Sub-table: Parcels with the capacity for 20 or more additional units (22.4KB)*
  • Sub-table: Mixed Use Parcels (29.7KB)*
  • Sub-table: High Density Parcels (more than 30 du/ac) (27KB)*
  • Sub-table: R-4 District (Multifamily) parcels (14KB)*
• Revised Draft Site Map, October 23, 2009 (526KB)*
• Revised Draft Appendix B, Evaluation of the Previous Element, October 23, 2009 (123KB)*
• Draft Appendices C-G (Unchanged from July 6, 2009) (76.1KB)*
• Draft Appendix H, Summary of Public Comments, October 23, 2009 (18.3KB)*
• Draft Appendix I, Implementation of the Prior Element, July 7, 2005 (2.85MB)*
• Initial Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND), October 23, 2009 (124KB)*
• Notice of Availability and Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration (11.3KB)*

Upcoming Meetings

The following is the proposed schedule for review and adoption/certification of the Housing Element and ND. **Please visit this webpage for any changes to this schedule. ** Information can also be obtained by calling the Planning Department at 510-670-5400.

October 26, 2009: Release of the Revised Draft Housing Element and the IS/ ND. Review period of IS/ND begins.

October 28, 2009: Presentation on the Revised Draft Housing Element and the IS/ ND. Board of Supervisors (BOS) Unincorporated Services Meeting at 6:30 PM, the San Lorenzo Village Homes Association, 377 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo.

November 2, 2009: Planning Commission hearing at 6:00 PM at 224 West Winton Avenue, Public Hearing Room, Hayward CA to review the Revised Draft Housing Element and the IS/ ND.

November 30, 2009: Review period of IS/ND ends. Comments on the revised draft Housing Element may be submitted up until the document has been adopted by the BOS.

December 7, 2009: Planning Commission hearing. The meeting will be held at 6:00 PM in the Alameda County Administration Building located at 224 West Winton Avenue, Public Hearing Room, Hayward CA. Staff will request the Planning Commission refer the Revised Draft Housing Element and the IS/ ND to the BOS for Adoption and Certification.

December 14, 2009: BOS Transportation/Planning Committee. The meeting will begin at 2:00 PM and will be held at 1221 Oak Street , 5th Floor, Board of Supervisors Chambers, Oakland, CA

January 12, 2010: BOS Meeting - Housing Element adoption and ND certification

January 14, 2010: Notice of Determination filed for the ND

January 15, 2010: Transmittal of the adopted Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for review and certification. A response is required within 90 days of the receipt of an adopted Housing Element.

Documents from Prior Meetings

• Housing Element [DRAFT], July 6, 2009  (790KB)*
• Appendix A - Sites Inventory [DRAFT], July 6, 2009  (107KB)*
• Appendices B - H [DRAFT], July 6, 2009  (253KB)*
• Map [DRAFT], July 6, 2009  (323KB)*
• Staff Report, July 6, 2009  (560KB)*
• Sites Inventory [DRAFT], June 15, 2009 (132KB)*
• Staff Report, June 15, 2009  (36.8KB)*
• Subcommittee Meeting Agenda, June 15, 2009  (8KB)*
• Sites Inventory [DRAFT], June 1, 2009 (132KB)*
• Staff Report, June 1, 2009 (36.8KB)*
• Subcommittee Meeting Agenda, June 1, 2009  (36.8KB)*
• Subcommittee Meeting Agenda, Staff Report, and Workplan, May 4, 2009 (27KB)*
• Housing Needs Assessment [DRAFT], May 4, 2009 (112KB)*
• Goals, Policies, Programs and Resources [DRAFT], May 4, 2009 (137KB)*
• Evaluation of the Previous Housing Element [DRAFT], May 4, 2009 (112KB)*
• AB 2348 Technical Assistance Paper, presented to the Subcommittee on April 6, 2009 (163KB)*
• Subcommittee Staff Report, April 6, 2009 (98KB)*
• Subcommittee Meeting Agenda, April 6, 2009 (8KB)*
• Subcommittee Staff Report, March 2, 2009 (4.393MB)*
• Subcommittee Meeting Agenda, March 2, 2009 (72KB)*
• Invitation to the Community from the Chair of the Planning Commission, February 16, 2009 (396KB)*
• Planning Commission Staff Report, January 20, 2009 (395KB)*
• Planning Commission Presentation, January 20, 2009 (195KB)*

2003-2008 Housing Element
The previous Housing Element was adopted on October 2, 2003.

• 2003 Housing Element
• Implementation of Housing Element

Staff Contacts
Michelle Starratt, Housing Manager, Housing & Community Development Department
Phone: (510) 670-5404

Angela Robinson Pinon, Planner, Planning Department
Phone: (510) 670-5400

Additional Information

• Housing Element Law Overview *
• Housing Element Law, Government Code Sections 65580-65589.8
• Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)-Regional Housing Needs Allocation
• 2008 HUD Income Limits *
• "Myths & Facts About Affordable and High Density Housing" *
• Technical Assistance Bulletin, Senate Bill 2 (Cedillo) (363KB)*