A sustainable community should emphasize compact infill housing that is transit-oriented, offers diverse and affordable housing types, supports a strong jobs-housing fit, provides multiple transportation options, includes a variety of services, and integrates green spaces to enhance livability and well-being.
Housing Letters:
2025-08-13 Concar Housing/Passage, San Mateo, letter to developer
2025-05-06 333 Ravenswood/Parkline Mixed Use development, Menlo Park
2025-04-11 Redwood Life proposed development, Redwood Shores, letter to Council
2025-02-24 80 Willow Road Mixed Use, Menlo Park, Letter to Planning Department
2025-01-06 Guadalupe Quarry EIR comments, Brisbane, Letter to Planning Department
2024-08-04 Parkline Mixed Use, Menlo Park, EIR response comments
2024-07-30 San Carlos NE area Specific Plan Jobs/Housing Imbalance
2024-06-16 Redwood City, Discount on Park Impact Fees for Market-Rate Housing
2024-03-01 San Mateo City General Plan, Comments to Council
For past letters see Loma Prieta Letters
Housing Element: Every 8 years, California cities must plan for enough new housing to meet population and economic growth projections made by the State of California. The last cycle officially closed in January 2023.
The 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for our Chapter's cities and counties begins in 2023 and lasts until 2031. The 6th cycle requires much higher numbers of housing units than previous cycles. Our Chapter emphasizes in the letters below that:
- Cities are contributing to an imbalance between jobs and housing that is unsustainable.
- Cities are not providing for a sustainable "jobs/housing fit" within their city.
- Many cities are not coordinating plans for new commercial development with their Housing Element.
- RHNA numbers are not reflecting the anticipated housing need in relation to the real numbers of jobs that each city is approving.
- Cities should estimate a probability of development (p(dev)) for each site they propose for housing
- Commercial development proposals should be required to specify anticipated number of jobs created
- Sea level rise and wildfires should be a consideration in the Housing Element.
Housing Element Letters:
2022.09.01 Cover Letter for California Department of Housing and Community Development
2021.11.20 Housing Element Letter to San Jose
2022.03.25 Comments on Draft Redwood City Housing Element
2022.04.26 Comments on Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element, San Mateo