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Housing Element

July 12, 2024 - After more than two years of effort by the City of Lafayette and the community, the California Department of Housing & Community Development has concluded that Lafayette’s 6th Cycle Housing Element will comply with State law after the City completes necessary re-zoning and re-adopts the element.  HCD’s letter dated July 12, 2024 follows four rounds of review by the State.  More information about the update process can be found at PlanLafayette.org. 

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Every jurisdiction in California is required to adopt a Housing Element as part of its General Plan, to plan for the existing and projected housing needs of households across all economic segments of the community.  The Housing Element must be approved by the State and updated every eight years.  The single most important goal of the Housing Element is to achieve an adequate supply of safe, decent housing for all residents.

In order to meet this goal, the policies and programs of the housing element address several major issues:

  • Maintaining and preserving the existing housing stock
  • Meeting the City's regional housing needs allocations 
  • Providing additional affordable housing, particularly for senior citizens and young families
  • Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

 

Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)

Unlike the other General Plan elements, the Housing Element is required to be periodically updated and is subject to detailed statutory requirements and mandatory review by a State agency - the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

The Regional Housing Needs Allocation process (RHNA), is a state-mandate devised to address the need for and planning of housing affordability levels throughout the State. In the Bay Area, each jurisdiction’s RHNA is finalized through the Association of Bay Area Governments or ABAG. Approximately every seven years, HCD allocates a share of the anticipated regional housing growth for the next planning period for each jurisdiction. Housing Elements must be updated to demonstrate that they have an adequate supply of sites and the appropriate zoning to accommodate these needs.

 

Annual Housing Progress Report

State law requires local jurisdictions to submit an annual report by April 1st of each year on the status of Housing Element implementation and housing construction activity. Lafayette's 2023 Annual Housing Progress Report was approved by the City Council on March 2, 2024 and submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development and Office of Planning and Research.  

 

Affordable Housing

Visit the Affordable Housing FAQ page to find affordable housing resources and understand some of the most frequently asked questions. 

Historically, the City of Lafayette required developers to provide affordable housing when their project was located in the Redevelopment Project Area as required by the Redevelopment Plan.  Specifically, it required 15% of all provided housing units to be set aside for moderate, low, and very low income households. 

In 2011, the State eliminated redevelopment, thereby removing this tool to provide housing at multiple affordability levels.  The City adopted an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance in June 2016, reinstating this requirement for new for-sale housing projects in the downtown.  

In addition, the City adopted a Density Bonus Ordinance pursuant to State law, which allows a developer to ask for and receive additional housing density in return for providing affordable or senior housing. Please contact Greg Wolff, Planning & Building Department Director at (925) 299-3204 for more information.

 

New Housing Projects

Curious about new housing projects and other major developments currently under construction?  Visit the Major Development Projects Map.  All new commercial construction, new multi-family construction projects of 5,000 sq. ft. or greater, and all major subdivisions will be included.  The webpage describes information about each project including application number, scope of work, General Plan Land Use Classification, zoning district, lot area, stories/height, gross floor area, project status, project images/plans, and contact information for each major development project.    

 

Resources for Senior Housing, Assisted Living, & Emergency Housing

The City of Lafayette has a range of housing options for seniors, such as assisted living, memory care, and independent living.  Local resources, housing options, and affordability levels can be found on our Affordable Housing page. 

 

Government Funding Programs

While the City of Lafayette does not provide funding programs, there are a number of regional, state, and federal funding programs available for residents!  These funding opportunities primarily encompass mortgage assistance, residential upgrades, and energy retrofits.