California cities are gearing up to update the Housing Element chapter of their General Plan, which establishes the vision for how each city and county will grow. As the January 31 deadline approaches, Bay Area cities and counties are racing to finalize drafts for approval by the CA Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
With every city in California needing to update its Housing Element, more housing will be zoned across the state. This is why building climate-smart housing is crucial to California’s growth. Given the impact this process will have on how the region grows, Greenbelt Alliance has leveraged our Resilience Playbook to advocate for climate SMART—Sustainable, Mixed, Affordable, Resilient, Transit-Oriented—housing policies while working with cities, partners, and local advocates over the last few years to generate the best outcome.
One of the most impactful actions we can take to reduce GHG emissions at the local level is to build more housing in existing urban areas. Doing so requires integrating climate change solutions into planning processes to address the housing crisis.
That’s why this Housing Element process is a critical moment for environmentalists and housers to come together. Over the last few years, Greenbelt Alliance has been proud to collaborate with environmental partners around the region, including Save the Bay, Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, Green Foothills, the Sierra Club, 350 Contra Costa, Contra Costa Climate Leaders, Sustainable Contra Costa, Sonoma Ecology Center, and more to ensure that dense housing is built in existing urbanized areas and away from the places most impacted by climate impacts.
But we can’t do this without community participation by those who would be affected most. Over the past 65 years, Greenbelt Alliance has provided several learning and training opportunities in order to bolster community engagement around this process. In 2022, we hosted three webinars on why housing is a climate change issue:
We have also been leading workshops with community partners around the region on related issues. In November, in partnership with Richmond Land, we hosted the second edition of a Housing Elements Advocacy workshop for the residents of North Richmond in preparation for the unincorporated Housing Element draft. By empowering North Richmond residents with tools like the Resilience Playbook, we are encouraged to see the mobilization of advocates who support climate SMART development in their neighborhoods, leading to a more inclusive and resilient Bay Area!
We’ve articulated why the Housing Element is important to address climate change. Over the last two years, Greenbelt Alliance has attended meetings, met with local staff and elected officials, and reviewed housing elements and their respective Environmental Impact Reports, while providing written and public comments across the region.
Click on the boxes below to learn about our housing action:
Sonoma
- Rohnert Park: Attended meetings and spoke at planning commission meetings. Rohnert Park does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Santa Rosa: Attended city council and planning commission meetings. Santa Rosa does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- City of Sonoma: Attended a housing element workshop. Sonoma does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Unincorporated Sonoma – County of Sonoma: Greenbelt Alliance was appointed to the Housing Advisory Committee and met regularly throughout the year to weigh in on Housing Element items. We participated in Housing Element community engagement workshops, put out action alerts, and sent this letter in partnership with Legal Aid of Sonoma, Santa Rosa NAACP, Sonoma Valley Housing Group, Generation Housing, Sonoma Valley Collaborative and others. Sonoma County does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
Solano
- Benicia: Weighed in on the Benicia Housing Element to assure the concerned City Councilmembers that it was possible to build the amount of housing required without building outside of their Urban Growth Boundaries. We submitted a letter and communicated directly with Councilmembers about this issue. Benicia does not yet have a certified Housing Element but they have maintained their Urban Growth Boundary.
Contra Costa
- Antioch: Attended public meetings to speak in support of climate-smart housing, reviewed their Housing Element draft, and submitted a letter in partnership with East Bay 4 Everyone, CA YIMBY, and East Bay Young Democrats. Antioch does not yet have a certified Housing Element but we were pleased to see that their draft included housing at an appropriate level of density in many areas and provided policies to affirmatively further fair housing.
- Clayton: Reviewed the Clayton Housing Element, met with city staff to discuss our comments and submitted a letter. Clayton does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Concord: Attended public meetings, spoke in support of Climate SMART Housing and increased density near the BART stations, and submitted multiple letters. Here is our most recent one submitted in partnership with Sustainable Leaders in Action, Sustainable Contra Costa, Multi-Faith Action Coalition, East Bay 4 Everyone, and Contra Costa Climate Leaders. Concord does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Town of Danville: Attended public meetings and submitted a letter in partnership with Sustainable Leaders in Action, Sustainable Contra Costa, Multi-Faith Action Coalition, East Bay 4 Everyone, and Contra Costa Climate Leaders. Danville does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Hercules: We are actively tracking both the Housing Element and the Safety Element updates. We have submitted multiple letters, spoken at city council and planning commission meetings, and reviewed the housing element draft. Hercules does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Lafayette: Lafayette is a city with high fire severity and needs to densify their downtown core while limiting growth and single family housing in the high fire severity zones. We have attended housing element meetings, spoken at city council and planning commission meetings, and submitted multiple letters, including this one a letter
- Martinez: Attended city council meetings, met with planning staff, and are following both the General Plan update as well as Housing Element update. Martinez does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Town of Moraga: Moraga is a small town with high fire severity and needs to densify their downtown core while limiting growth and single family housing in the high fire severity zones. We have attended housing element meetings, spoken at city council and planning commission meetings, and submitted three letters related to community engagement, locating housing in wildfire zones, and GHG emissions. Here is our most recent letter with 350 Contra Costa. Moraga does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Oakley: Oakley is a small town on the outskirts of Contra Costa County with major sea level rise concerns. We submitted a letter and spoke with planning staff to encourage them to build infill housing in the existing urbanized areas and away from the shoreline areas at risk of sea level rise. Oakley does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Orinda: Attended public meetings and submitted a letter in partnership with Sustainable Leaders in Action, Sustainable Contra Costa, Multi-Faith Action Coalition, East Bay 4 Everyone, and Contra Costa Climate Leaders. Orinda does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Pleasant Hill: Actively tracking both the General Plan update and Housing Element update. We attended public meetings and submitted a letter in partnership with Sustainable Leaders in Action, Sustainable Contra Costa, East Bay 4 Everyone, and Fresh Approach. Pleasant Hill does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- San Ramon: Attended public meetings and submitted a letter in partnership with Sustainable Leaders in Action, Fresh Approach, Sustainable Contra Costa, East Bay 4 Everyone, and SRVCC. San Ramon does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Walnut Creek: Joined public meetings and submitted a letter in partnership with Sustainable Leaders in Action, Sustainable Contra Costa, Multi-Faith Action Coalition, East Bay 4 Everyone, and Contra Costa Climate Leaders. Walnut Creek does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Contra Costa County: We are actively tracking this process closely. We sent initial policy recommendations and recently wrote a coalition comment letter for the draft Housing Element with partners such as Save The Bay, East Bay For Everyone, EBHO, Sustainable Contra Costa, 350 Contra Costa Action, East County Community Leaders Network, 4CL, and San Ramon Valley Climate Coalition. Contra Costa County does not have a certified Housing Element.
Alameda
- Alameda County: The County just started its study sessions with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors which we have attended. The County intends to submit a draft Housing Element in late Spring 2023. Alameda County does not have a certified Housing Element.
- City of Alameda: Weighed in on this housing element. Alameda DOES have a certified Housing Element
- Berkeley: Attended city council meetings and spoke in support of single family zoning reform. Berkeley does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Emeryville: We did not engage in the Emeryville housing element. Emeryville DOES have a certified Housing Element.
- Livermore: Attended a housing element workshop. Livermore does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Newark: Reached out to the city numerous times to inquire about the status of their housing element. We attended a public workshop and provided public comment. Newark does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Oakland: Joined housing element workshops, spoke at city council meetings, and submitted a letter. Oakland does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Pleasanton: Reviewed their housing element and submitted a letter with recommendations about their site selections as well as a letter with recommendations about how they should improve their public engagement process in partnership with Genesis and Public Advocates. Pleasanton does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- San Leandro: Attended a housing element workshop and submitted a letter to the City Council. San Leandro does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
San Mateo
- Atherton: Attended town council meetings and provided input during public comment, encouraging the adoption of multifamily zoning. Menlo Park does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Menlo Park: Joined both planning commission and city council meetings and made comments encouraging the city to embrace pro-infill and equitable siting policies. Menlo Park does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Unincorporated San Mateo County: Attended both county planning commission and board of supervisors meetings to provide public comment on the element. In partnership with the Housing Leadership Council and Housing Choices, we are leading a coalition to encourage the County to move away from suburban sprawl and inequitable siting policies and toward sustainable, equitable pro-infill policies. As part of the coalition, we attended meetings with staff and supervisors, as well as submitted a letter outlining concerns and suggested changes. Unincorporated San Mateo County does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
Santa Clara
- Cupertino: Attended multiple meetings, including community stakeholder engagement sessions, planning commission, and city council sessions. We are currently working with community partners to provide feedback via a formal letter. Cupertino does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Gilroy: Due to concerns about expansion of exurban sprawl, we engaged heavily in Gilroy. This included meetings and communications with council members, as well as a coalition letter in partnership with SV@Home, California YIMBY, and Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Additionally, we have met and communicated with the HCD reviewer assigned to the city to relay concerns about the element. Gilroy does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Los Gatos: Weighed in via the Santa Clara County Housing Element Equity Advisory Group, of which we are a member, providing direct input to city staff. Los Gatos does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Morgan Hill: Provided input at public meetings, as well as communicated with city staff. Morgan Hill does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Mountain View: Attended both planning commission and city council meetings, and weighed in via meetings with city staff and council members. Mountain View does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Santa Clara: Attended planning commission and city council meetings, and weighed in via a letter. We provided additional input directly to city staff during the Housing Element Equity Advisory Group meeting. Santa Clara does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Sunnyvale: Actively engaged in Sunnyvale, attending stakeholder meetings, planning commission meetings, and city council sessions, and providing input at all opportunities. Additionally, we have sent both individual and coalition letters and met with the HCD reviewer for Sunnyvale to discuss concerns around the city’s parks fee, parking requirements, and density bonus issues. Sunnyvale does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
Marin
- Marin County: Attended a series of housing element workshops related to both the housing element and concurrent safety element update. We also met with County staff to learn more about housing element plans and provided training at Marin Academy High School to share resources with their sustainability students to attend housing-related meetings. We also submitted a letter. Marin County does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- San Rafael: Attended a series of housing element workshops. We spoke with the planner in charge of the housing element and were invited to the housing element monthly round table meetings. We provided resources from the Resilience Playbook to support local staff in drafting their plan. San Rafael does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
- Belvedere: Attended meetings and spoke at a city council meeting in support of expanding affordable housing beyond just accessory dwelling units. Belvedere does not yet have a certified Housing Element.
