Housing Element Update

Font Size: + -

Print

The Housing Element is our principal guide for housing programs and strategies. It helps us meet the future housing needs and priorities of our community. It will offer a way to ensure we have enough sites for safe, decent, affordable housing for our community.

Subscribe to stay informed

2023-2031 Housing Element

The City adopted the 2023-2031 Housing Element on Dec. 12, 2023. On March 6, 2024 the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certified the Adopted Housing Element.

Contact

Ryan Dyson
Housing Specialist
408-730-7466

Progress

Project Schedule

The Housing Element Update schedule spans from August 2021 to January 2024. The schedule includes five phases:

Project Initiation
Updating the Housing Element
California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Review
Adoption
HCD Certification

Project Initiation (August 2021 – November 2021)

In August 2021, we selected Ascent Environmental as the project consultant. During this phase, we collaborated with consultants to plan the project and gather data.

Updating the Housing Element (December 2021 – September 2023)

In this phase, we held outreach events and meetings. We updated the Housing Element based on new housing data and public input.

Outreach and Meetings:

Joint Commission Study Session on Dec. 13, 2021
City Council Study Session on Jan. 25, 2022
Virtual Community Workshops on Feb. 3 and Feb. 9, 2022
Online Survey from Feb. 1 and Feb. 23, 2022
City Council Study Session on May 3, 2022
Virtual Community Workshop on May 11, 2022
Planning Commission Hearing on May 23, 2022
Housing and Human Services Commission Hearing on May 25, 2022
City Council Hearing on June 21, 2022

Deliverables:

Public Review Draft Housing Element release on May 6, 2022

HCD Review (July 2022 – December 2023)

We will submit the Draft Housing Element to HCD for review and comments during this phase. Several HCD review periods will be required. We also held stakeholder meetings and City Council Study Sessions to gather more feedback during this phase.

Outreach and Meetings:

Livable Sunnyvale Stakeholder Meeting on Feb. 6, 2023
Silicon Valley at Home Stakeholder Meeting on Feb. 7, 2023
City Council Study Session on March 14, 2023
City Council Study Session on Sept. 26, 2023

Deliverables:

HCD Review of Draft Housing Element from July 2022 to December 2023

Adoption (Fourth Quarter 2023)

We will revise the Draft Housing Element based on HCD comments. We will present this updated draft at Commission and City Council hearings for adoption.

Outreach and Meetings:

Planning Commission Hearing on Nov. 27, 2023
Housing & Human Services Commission Hearing on Nov. 29, 2023
City Council Adoption Hearing on Dec. 12, 2023

HCD Certification (March 2024)

Once adopted by City Council, we will send the final draft Housing Element to HCD for certification.

Deliverables:

Final Certified Housing Element in March 2024

Documents

Community Workshops 1 - February 2022

Community Workshop 3 - May 2022

Background

Cities and counties, by state law, must update their Housing Element every eight years. Currently we are updating our Housing Element for 2023 to 2031. Our Housing Element will contain our long-term housing goals. It becomes part of our General Plan.

The update contains our plan to meet our Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The State determines each city's RHNA based on growth and demographic trends. Our RHNA for 2023 to 2031 is 11,966 new housing units. We will select sites and provide a strategy to meet this housing need. We do not build housing, but the Housing Element ensures that new housing units can be built.

Our Housing Element will include the following topics:

Housing Needs Assessment: An overview of demographic trends and housing needs
Constraints Analysis: A summary of barriers to housing production
Sites Inventory: A review of land that is suitable for new residential development
Housing Opportunities: An overview of existing resources that can help build housing
Housing Plan: The policies and programs that will help us meet our goals

Read the Housing Element Update Frequently Asked Questions

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Word Viewer