Housing Elements

A housing element is a long-term plan that outlines how a local jurisdiction will adequately provide the homes needed, across all economic segments of the community, to meet existing and projected growth

To date the NPH Policy Team has compiled data on housing policies for 47 jurisdictions in the region, convened regional coalitions, and provided direct technical assistance for housing elements and local plans in the cities of Walnut Creek, San Jose, Redwood City, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Milpitas, Los Gatos, Daly City, Cupertino, and Newark.

In partnership with key allies such as the East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County (HLC), the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, Bay Area Legal Aid, and many more, NPH has coordinated and supported advocacy efforts on housing element updates throughout the region. Through these collaborative partnerships we identified best practices, and shared knowledge with city and county staff on the following issues: adequate and feasible opportunity sites, appropriate land use regulations, barriers to affordable housing production, and programs and policies that facilitate affordable housing production, such as impacts fees, boomerang funds, and utilizing publicly-owned land.

NPH currently hosts two housing element working groups – the Regional Housing Element Working Group and the Santa Clara County Housing Element Work Group. These groups will continue to meet and collaborate in 2015, advocating for jurisdictions to adopt funding, policies and programs that allow much-needed affordable homes to be built.

For more information about housing elements or to join a housing element working group, please contact Danielle Mazzella, at danielle (at) nonprofithousing.org, or at (415) 989-8160 x 19.