Discuss housing successes, challenges, and solutions
Berkeley, California (Thursday, October 14, 2021) - Join us at an online public workshop to share your input and insights around Berkeley's housing challenges and help identify ways to encourage construction of the housing that Berkeley needs.
These efforts are part of the City's Housing Element Update, a state-mandated plan that requires all cities to create a framework that allows property owners, market rate and affordable housing developers, institutions, and others to build a specified amount of housing.
In Berkeley, that means a plan for the construction of nearly 9,000 new housing units between 2023 and 2031 - a portion of the region's goal of adding over 440,000 new units. In the process, the Housing Element will seek to:
- Assess the City's housing needs
- Analyze barriers to housing development
- Address racial and social equity, including identifying protections for vulnerable and historically impacted communities
- Identify publicly- and privately-owned sites likely for new residential development ("Sites Inventory")
- Create new policies and programs to ensure the City can meet its allocated housing target
Local, county and state governments cannot fund all of the needed housing. The Housing Element is an essential plan to help residents, property owners and community members develop and prioritize approaches for housing more Berkeleyans.
Oct. 27, 2021 workshop
Learn more and share your feedback at our upcoming online workshop:
Housing Element Workshop #1
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
6:00 PM
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81914352145
Meeting ID: 819 1435 2145
Call in: (669) 900-6833
The workshop will begin with a presentation and a live survey, followed by breakout room discussions.
State sets total housing need, cities plan how to meet it
The state of California identifies the number of housing units to plan for every eight years for each jurisdiction called a Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA. The Housing Element shows how each city will reach that number, using tools such as zoning updates and new affordable housing requirements and programs.
The almost 9,000 units to plan for by 2031 is more than triple the previous 8-year goal of 2,959 residential units.
These higher figures reflect both the expected need for the future as well as existing unmet needs - such as overcrowding and rent-burdened households.
No one strategy solves all problems. We’ll be looking to continue successes while also developing new methods.
Stay informed about this project by visiting the project webpage, subscribe to our Housing Element email list - and join us for our first workshop on October 27.
Links
- Event flyer
- City of Berkeley Housing Element
- Regional Housing Needs Allocation (Association of Bay Area Governments)
- Housing Element Overview (CA Dept. of Housing and Community Development)