Land-use glossary
Housing element
The part of the general plan that shows how a city will accommodate its share of the region's housing need.
Every city and county must update its housing element on a regular cycle, every eight years in the San Diego region, and have it reviewed by the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). It must identify enough sites, zoned at suitable densities, for the city's Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) at each income level.
Housing element programs often lead to later agenda items: rezones of identified sites, objective design standards, ADU and density bonus updates. A city without a compliant housing element can lose some local control over housing projects.
What to look for on the agenda
- Annual progress reports and rezonings promised in the element
- Changes to the sites inventory
- HCD findings on compliance
Where the rules come from: Cal. Gov. Code §65580 et seq.. Each city's own code adds its details.
Related terms
A general explainer, not legal advice. How we work.