Public Lands for Affordable Housing Development
One of the challenges in building new affordable homes is acquiring land suitable for housing. In 2019, Governor Newsom took several actions to make state and local public lands available for affordable housing development including:
- Signed an executive order to make excess state land available for affordable housing (Executive Order N-06-19)
- Established criteria to evaluate state-owned land, assess its suitability for affordable housing, and create a digitized map of excess state land (AB 2233, Quirk-Silva, 2022)
- Strengthened the Surplus Land Act and prioritized local surplus land for affordable housing (AB 1486, Ting, 2019)
- Required cities and counties to inventory and report surplus and excess local public lands to include in a statewide inventory (AB 1255, Robert Rivas, 2019)
The Surplus Land Act and the Excess Sites program both aim to make public lands available for affordable housing development, however key differences exist between the two. The Surplus Land Act (Gov. Code, §§ 54220-54234) aims to make locally owned public land that is no longer needed for government purposes available for building affordable homes. For more information on the Surplus Land Act, visit the Local Surplus Land for Affordable Housing section below.
The Excess Sites program aims to identify and prioritize excess state-owned property and aggressively pursue sustainable, innovative, cost-effective housing projects. For more information on the Excess Sites program, visit the Excess State Land for Affordable Housing section below.
Local Surplus Land for Affordable Housing
Final Updated Surplus Land Act Guidelines
On August 1, 2024, HCD released final Updated Surplus Land Act (SLA) Guidelines.
HCD had previously published draft Updated SLA Guidelines on February 23, 2024, for a 30-day public comment period. HCD evaluated those comments, prepared a Response to Public Comments (see below), and incorporated a number of changes into the final Updated SLA Guidelines.
HCD’s initial SLA Guidelines were adopted in April 2021. Since then, HCD and its many local partners have identified areas of the Guidelines that need updates or clarity. In addition, the Legislature has passed several bills that have amended the SLA, including bills passed just last year. The need for additional clarity and changes to the law led HCD to initiate its first updates of the SLA Guidelines.
Final Updated Surplus Land Act Guidelines (2024) (PDF)
Redlined Updated Surplus Land Act Guidelines (2024) (PDF): Reflects changes made since the release of the Draft Updated Guidelines for public comment
The Surplus Land Act (Gov. Code, §§ 54220-54234) aims to make local public land that is no longer needed for government purposes available for building affordable homes.
Local agencies (cities, counties, special districts, and certain other entities) must send notices about available, surplus local public land to all of the following:
- HCD
- Any local public entity within the jurisdiction where the surplus local land is located
- Developers who have notified HCD of their interest in developing affordable housing on surplus local public land
Prior to agreeing to terms to dispose of surplus property, local agencies (cities, counties, and special districts) must send a description of notices of availability sent, and negotiations conducted, in addition to a copy of any restrictions to be recorded against the property, to HCD for review using HCD forms.
All Surplus Land Act (SLA) inquiries and documentation including surplus land dispositions, SLA exemptions, Notices of Availability (NOAs), requests for technical assistance (ex. draft resolution review, legal questions), and SLA complaints must be submitted to HCD via the Surplus Land Portal. Please click the link to create an account and submit your request. An account is not required to submit an SLA complaint.
For updated data on SLA outcomes since the implementation of AB 1486, please refer to the SLA Dashboard linked below.
Final Updated Surplus Land Act Guidelines (2024) (PDF)
Materials for local agencies to use when surplus land properties are being made available for purchase or lease:
- Sample Notice of Availability of Surplus Land Cover Letter (DOC): Sample cover letter for local agencies to notify the following entities that surplus property is available to purchase or lease:
- HCD
- Any local public entity (e.g., city, special district, tribes, etc.) within the jurisdiction where the surplus local land is located.
- Developers who have notified HCD of their interest in developing affordable housing on surplus local land.
- Sample Notice of Availability of Surplus Land Property Description (XLS): Sample property description form to submit with the cover letter to provide detailed characteristics of the surplus land being made available for sale or lease. If this form is not used, local agencies must still include a complete property description when notifying entities (see Government Code section 54222(a)).
Materials for local agencies to use when submitting a description of notices, negotiations, and recorded restrictions related to a proposed disposition (sale or lease):
- Description of Disposition Template (XLS): When local agencies dispose of surplus land, they are required to submit a description of the disposition to HCD on this form prior to agreeing to terms for the disposition of surplus land. This form provides a road map to what materials are required when opening a disposition submission request in the Surplus Land Portal.
- The sample covenant/restriction documents below can be customized and used to record affordability covenants pursuant to Government Code sections 54233 or 54233.5.
- Sample Covenant/Restriction (DOC) (Government Code section 54233): For use by a local agency (including transit districts) that is not a district.
- Sample Covenant/Restriction for District (DOC) (Government Code section 54233.5): For use by a non-transit district.
Archive
View developers that have notified HCD of their interest in surplus local public lands (Updated: 05/20/2025).
For additional information on accessing and utilizing the Developers Interest List, review our User Aide (PDF).
Send notices about available, surplus local public land to HCD via the Surplus Land Portal.
Click here for a sample notice cover sheet (DOC) and here for a sample notice of availability property description (XLS).
Notify HCD of your interest in receiving notices about surplus local public land — Complete HCD's Developer Interest - Local Agency Surplus Land form. Entities interested in becoming certified as a Housing Sponsor can follow the directions on CalHFA's website.
View developers that have notified HCD of their interest in surplus local public lands (Updated: 05/20/2025).
For developers currently on the list, you may submit a request to update your information on the Update Details. If you would like to unsubscribe from the Developers Interest List, submit your request using Unsubscribe.
For additional information on accessing and utilizing the Developers Interest List, review our User Aide (PDF).
View list of notices received (updated weekly)
HCD accepts requests for review of potential violations from any party through our online Surplus Land Portal. Please note that if you are a private individual and do not give HCD express permission to disclose your identity, it is HCD’s practice to protect requestors’ identities from disclosure under the California Public Records Act (PRA) to the full extent authorized by the PRA. (Gov’t Code, § 7922.000; Cal. Const., Art. 1, § 1.) However:
- Even though your identity may be withheld, the PRA may require HCD to disclose the substance of your request, including your written communications with HCD (with name redacted), after the request is closed, or if a reasonable amount of time has elapsed since the date of the request.
- In some cases, it may be difficult or impossible to investigate an allegation without disclosing your identity. If that is a concern, please contact us at PublicLandsPortal@hcd.ca.gov to discuss the possibility of withdrawing your request if it later becomes necessary for maintaining your anonymity.
- Notwithstanding the above, if you are writing on behalf of a business, nonprofit, state or local agency, or state or local government official, the PRA may require HCD to disclose your name, the organization, or public office you represent, and other identifying information. Although organizations and public figures enjoy fewer privacy protections than private individuals under state law, HCD recognizes the importance of whistleblower anonymity. If you represent an entity that risks negative consequences for reporting housing accountability issues, it is HCD’s practice to protect your identifying information from PRA disclosure unless specific circumstances create a greater public interest in disclosure. HCD evaluates these circumstances on a case-by-case basis. (Gov’t Code, § 7922.000.)
- In rare cases, HCD may be compelled to disclose a requestor's identity during legal proceedings that may or may not include the requestor as a party.
If you have any concerns about confidentiality of your request, please contact us at PublicLandsPortal@hcd.ca.gov and a representative of HCD will be available to advise you.
To submit a request for assistance, visit HCD’s Surplus Land Portal.
Send U.S. postal mail requests to:
David Zisser, Assistant Deputy Director
Department of Housing and Community Development
Division of Housing Policy Development
651 Bannon Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95811
HCD makes technical assistance and enforcement letters available to the public. A report of all letters issued is organized by jurisdiction, date, and subject matter (e.g., Housing Element Law, Fair Housing, Housing Accountability Act, Surplus Land Act, etc.).
For more information, please visit us our Surplus Land Portal.
In accordance with Assembly Bill 1255 (Robert Rivas, 2019), every California city and county is now required to have a central inventory of surplus and excess land and must report this inventory to HCD on the Housing Element Annual Progress Report (APR) form by April 1st of each year. To download and learn more about this form, please see the Annual Progress Reports. HCD, in turn, provides the information to DGS to include in a statewide map.
Get more information on these potential development opportunities. Access the map of local excess/surplus sites and housing element sites.
For further information, see the Housing and Local Land Development Opportunities Map Webinar (February 24, 2023) and presentation slides (PDF).
Excess State Land for Affordable Housing
Program Background
On January 15, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-06-19 that ordered the California Department of General Services (DGS) and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to identify and prioritize excess state-owned property and aggressively pursue sustainable, innovative, cost-effective housing projects.
On July 1, 2024, DGS and HCD released a new digitized inventory of state-owned land that is considered excess and suitable for reuse as affordable housing under the Executive Order. HCD and DGS identified and screened over 44,000 State-owned parcels against new criteria to identify state properties with the greatest feasibility for residential development and affordable housing finance program competitiveness and placed selected parcels in a digitized map.
Anyone can use the map to search through the state’s inventory of available excess land and apply various filters, such as the HCD/TCAC Opportunity Map and high-quality transit areas, among other newly available data layers.
Subscribe to HCD’s Housing Plan and Policy email list to receive announcements regarding the Executive Order and excess state land for affordable housing.
For Developers
Developers interested in a particular active site shown on the State Excess Sites - Affordable Housing Opportunities Map, please download, review, and if applicable, complete the documents listed in the Excess Sites Program Submission and Guidance Documents section below. When all submission materials are prepared, please navigate to the Excess Sites Developer Interest Submission Portal to create an account (if you have not done so) and submit your proposal.
Excess Sites Developer Interest Submission Portal
Excess Sites Program Guidance, Submission Materials, and Resources
- Submission Guidelines – Affordable Housing Proposals (PDF)
- Excess Sites Framework – Objectives, Scoring, Submission Requirements, and Reviewer Guidance Table (PDF)
- Excel Submission Tool (EST) (XLS) — Updated 5/17/2025
- Racial Equity and Inclusive Practices (REIP) Commitment Statement (PDF)
- Speed of Delivery Commitment Statement (PDF)
Helpful Documents
- Mapping Tool and Proposal Submission Process Video
- Mapping Tool and Proposal Submission Process (PDF)
- User Guide for the Excess Sites Developer Interest Portal (PDF)
Legal Documentation and Contract Templates
- Lease Option Agreement (PDF)
- Assignment of Lease Option (PDF)
- Memorandum of Ground Lease (PDF)
- Ground Lease Agreement (Coming Soon)