Housing Element Basics

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Welcome! Help shape the future of Belvedere. We need to hear from you!

The 6th Cycle Housing Element Update (2023-2031) will identify where and how the City will accommodate existing and projected future housing needs. This page will be the center of online activity and residents are encouraged to visit frequently to engage in the process, provide feedback, find key documents, see upcoming meeting dates, and learn other information. It will be updated regularly throughout the Housing Element Update process, which will end in January 2023.

Make sure to subscribe to stay informed and receive the latest information on the update process. If you have questions about the site, please be sure to read through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section.

We're on this housing journey together and everyone is encouraged to have a say in how we move forward.

Housing Elements 101

The 2023-2031 Housing Element Update

The Housing Element is one of the City’s General Plan’s required elements (chapters). It is a comprehensive policy document that identifies where, how, and how much housing Belvedere needs to plan for to accommodate existing and projected future housing needs for people of all income groups. In accordance with State law, the City of Belvedere must update its Housing Element every eight years. This is the sixth time the City is required to update its Housing Element and may also be referred to as the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update.

In the 2023-2031 6th Cycle Update, the City is required to plan for an additional 160 new housing units, also known as its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). With approximately 2,100 residents living in less than one square mile with all residential zoning, the City expects that the 160 new housing units can be accommodated through past Housing Element sites and new locations. With your participation and input, we will plan for this growth while minimizing impacts on Belvedere’s unique culture and charm.

Be Part of the Solution!
If you're interested in helping Belvedere's plan for 160 new housing units, and would like to learn more about how to add a secondary housing unit to your property, click here to fill out our Property Owner Interest Form.

The Housing Element update must include, at the minimum, the following sections:

• An analysis of housing needs of the City's population;

• An inventory of housing sites to accommodate future growth;

• An analysis of housing constraints that impact housing production;

• Programs that implement the City's housing policies; and

• Actions that promote and further fair housing opportunities.

The draft update will be reviewed for certification by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

Milestone Tasks

Following are the milestone tasks that make up the total Housing Element Update process. As we get further into the process of preparing documents related to each milestone, new links and resources will be provided for each individual task:

• Sites Inventory - current opportunity sites plus new sites will be considered in order to meet existing and future housing needs.

• Housing Element - programs, policies, and possible zoning changes to accommodate the City’s RHNA will be considered and drafted for an element that would be certified as meeting state law requirements by HCD.

• Consistency with General Plan - preparing General Plan updates/revisions to ensure consistency with the Housing Element.

• California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) - any update to the General Plan requires some amount of environmental review and it will be determined as soon as possible whether the Housing Element update actions will require a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) or an Initial Study.

The Importance of AB 686

To combat a history of racial housing discrimination, segregation, and unequal access to opportunity, the Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968. The Fair Housing Act prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) handicap and family status. However, in the nearly 50 years since the Fair Housing Act was enacted, housing inequality, lack of access to opportunity, and racial and socio-economic segregation have persisted.

The passing of AB 686 in 2018 attempts to address these persistent inequities.
We invite you to visit our What Matters? page to learn more and provide feedback about how to incorporate equity into Belvedere's 6th Cycle Housing Element Update.