Santa Cruz County Housing Elements

 
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Housing Elements envision a city or county’s future housing

California cities and counties lay a policy roadmap to provide housing for current and future residents in a document called a Housing Element. Housing Elements are part of their overall General Plan for the future of the city or county.

 

Housing Elements in Santa Cruz County:

6th Cycle Housing Element Update Information

Santa Cruz (City): November Version of Housing Element Adopted by City Council on 12/12/23.
HCD letter received indicating current version will substantially comply if adopted and submitted to HCD

Capitola: Housing Element (11-09-2023) adopted by City Council. Awaiting HCD review for compliance.

Watsonville:

Scotts Valley:

Santa Cruz (County - unincorporated): Adopted Housing Element - November 2023 adopted by the County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors November 14, 2023. HCD letter of January 16 indicates additional

Our Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA)

chart of RHNA for AMBAG Region, 6th cycle

On August 31, 2021, the CA Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) provided the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) with a Final Regional Housing Need Determination (RHND). See the full letter here.

The minimum regional housing need determination is 33,274 total units across four income categories. For reference, the RHND for our current cycle that goes until June 2023 is 10,430 total units.

On January 12, 2022, the AMBAG Board of Directors voted on the methodology to allocate these units to the cities and the counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey as their Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA). The AMBAG Board of Directors held a public hearing on October 12, 2022 and adopted the Final 2023-2031 6th Cycle RHNA Plan.

Santa Cruz YIMBY Priorities for Housing Elements.

Other Explainers:

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What is RHNA?

RHNA stands for “Regional Housing Needs Assessment.” Every eight years, the State of California provides the number of housing units that should be accommodated in the Southern California region. The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) takes that larger number and devises a methodology to allocate the units among the AMBAG region.

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

What is the process for Housing Elements?

Housing-Element Process:

  • A series of public outreach events such as workshops and public meetings.

  • Update of the previous housing element.

  • Submit draft to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review/approval.

  • Revise and adopt (or adopt without changes).

  • Submit adopted housing element to HCD.

Photo by Alfred Leung on Unsplash

Photo by Alfred Leung on Unsplash

Why are Housing Elements Important?

Housing Elements provide an opportunity to provide solutions to the affordable housing shortage through policies and strategies. Once these proven strategies are written into cities’ housing elements, they become enforceable commitments. The more people and more organizations involved in housing advocacy locally and regionally can provide housing for residents at all income levels in the long term. Check out YIMBY’s state-wide Housing Element Campaign below.