Since 1969, California has required that all local governments (cities and counties) adequately plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community. California’s local governments meet this requirement by adopting housing plans as part of their “general plan” (also required by the state).
General plans serve as the local government’s "blueprint" for how the city and/or county will grow and develop and include seven elements: land use, transportation, conservation, noise, open space, safety, and housing. The law mandating that housing be included as an element of each jurisdiction’s general plan is known as “housing-element law.”
California’s housing-element law acknowledges that, in order for the private market to adequately address the housing needs and demand of Californians, local governments must adopt plans and regulatory systems that provide opportunities for (and do not unduly constrain), housing development. As a result, housing policy in California rests largely on the effective implementation of local general plans and, in particular, local housing elements.
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Helpful Hints
As local governments begin to update their housing elements, they should keep the following in mind:
- Start with the existing housing element. The update should build on what has been effective in the past.
- Immediately engage all critical stakeholders in the community, including residents, special-needs populations, businesses, and housing providers.
- While the housing element must address specific state statutory requirements, it is ultimately a local plan and should reflect the vision and priorities of the community.
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Housing-Element Requirements Framework
This framework illustrates how the housing-element requirements interrelate. Results from each of the four key components of the analysis — review and revise, housing needs, resources, and constraints — are reflected in the policies, programs, and objectives found within the implementation plan. The entire process must reflect public participation from draft stage to final adoption
Update Schedule: Every Five Years vs. Every Eight Years
To strengthen the connection between housing and transportation planning, SB 375 made changes to better align the schedules for housing-element updates with schedules for adopting regional transportation plans (RTPs). Update schedules are found on the Housing Elements page.