Annual Progress Reports

Since 1969, California has required that all local governments (cities and counties) adequately plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community, at all income levels. California’s local governments meet this requirement by adopting housing plans (a.k.a. housing elements) as part of their “general plan” (also required by the state). A general plan serves as a local government’s blueprint for how the city and / or county will grow and develop and includes seven elements: land use, transportation, conservation, noise, open space, safety, and housing.

Each jurisdiction (city council or board of supervisors) must prepare an annual progress report (APR) on the jurisdiction’s status and progress in implementing its housing element using forms and definitions adopted by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). (Government Code Section 65400.)

Each jurisdiction’s APR must be submitted to HCD and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) by April 1 of each year covering the previous calendar year (CY).

One primary function of the housing element APR data is for HCD to track each local government’s progress towards meeting its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) each year and over the 5 or 8 year planning cycle. The key benchmark for tracking RHNA progress is issued building permits.