Santa Cruz County Housing Elements
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
December 2023
November 2023
HCD Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element – November 2023
October 2023
HCD Re-Submittal Technical Assistance Re-Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - October 20, 2023
August 2023
HCD Re-Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - August 21, 2023, August 30, 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Comments on the City of Santa Cruz Draft Housing Element (August 2023)
July 2023
HCD Re-Submittal 1st Draft Technical Assistance (6th Cycle) Housing Element - July 2023
May 2023
HCD Submittal 1st Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - May 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Letter to HCD re City of Santa Cruz Draft Housing Element (May 2023)
March 2023
Public Review Draft 2023-2031 (6th Cycle) Housing Element - March 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Comments on City of Santa Cruz Draft Housing Element
Capitola: Housing Element (11-09-2023) adopted by City Council. Awaiting HCD review for compliance.
January 2024
Letter from HCD to Capitola - January 12, 2024 - Housing element addresses “many” of the statutory requirements but revisions are needed.
November 2023
Adopted Housing Element (11-09-2023) - The City Council unanimously adopted the 6th Cycle Housing Element on November 9, 2023.
October 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Letter to City Council re Capitola Draft Housing Element (October 2023)
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - October 13, 2023
September 2023
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - September 19, 2023
August 2023
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - August 29, 2023 -
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Updated Letter to HCD re Capitola Draft Housing Element (August 2023)
July 2023
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - July 9, 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Letter to HCD re Capitola Draft Housing Element (July 2023)
May 2023
Capitola Housing Element Update - Public Review Draft (5/10/2023)
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Comments on City of Capitola Draft Housing Element
Watsonville:
6th cycle Housing Element Update web page (part of General Plan update)
January 2024
2023-2031 Housing Element - Public Review Draft (Full Draft) -(December 22, 2023)
Scotts Valley:
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - October 20, 2023
September 2023
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - September 19, 2023
July 2023
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - July 5, 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Letter to HCD re Scotts Valley Draft Housing Element (July 2023)
May 2023
2023-2031 Housing Element - Public Review Draft (Full Draft) - May 19, 2023
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
January 2024
Letter from HCD to Santa Cruz County - January 16, 2024 - Housing element addresses “most” of the statutory requirements but revisions are needed.
December 2023
The California Coastal Commission adopted the Local Coastal Plan Amendment covering the Sustainability Update on December 15, 2023.
November 2023
Adopted Housing Element - November 2023 -The County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors adopted the 2023 Housing Element on November 14, 2023. (visit the Housing Element Update web page for all sections and Appendices)
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Letter to HCD and BoS re Santa Cruz County Draft Housing Element (November 2023)
October 2023
Letter from HCD to Santa Cruz County - October 23, 2023 -Feedback on July 2023 Housing Element
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - October 2023
July 2023
HCD Submittal Draft (6th Cycle) Housing Element - July 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Letter to HCD re Santa Cruz County Draft Housing Element (July 2023)
June 2023
2023-2031 Housing Element - Public Review Draft - June 5, 2023
Santa Cruz YIMBY’s Comments on Santa Cruz County Draft Housing Element
Our Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA)
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.
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.
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.
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.