Kennedy Commission OC Housing Element Campaign
What is a Housing Element?
An effective housing element provides the necessary conditions for developing and preserving an adequate supply of housing, including housing affordable to seniors, families, and workers. Because the housing element must be regularly revised according to a legally mandated schedule, the update process provides the opportunity for jurisdictions to update their housing and land-use strategies to reflect changing needs, resources, and conditions.
Housing Element 101
Check out the City of Garden Grove’s Housing Element 101 video!
RHNA & Housing Elements Explained by YIMBY Action
What is RHNA?
RHNA stands for “Regional Housing Needs Assessment.” Every eight years, the State of California provides the number of housing units that should be accommodated in the Southern California region. The Southern California Regional Association of Governments (SCAG) takes that larger number and devises a methodology to allocate the units among the SCAG region.
What is the process for Housing Elements?
Housing-Element Process:
A series of public outreach events such as workshops and public meetings.
Update of the previous housing element.
Submit draft to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review/approval.
Revise and adopt (or adopt without changes).
Submit adopted housing element to HCD.
Why are Housing Elements Important?
Housing Elements provide an opportunity to provide solutions to the affordable housing shortage through policies and strategies. Once these proven strategies are written into cities’ housing elements, they become enforceable commitments. The more people and more organizations involved in housing advocacy locally and regionally can provide housing for residents at all income levels in the long term. Check out YIMBY’s state-wide Housing Element Campaign below.