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Housing Element Update

Help shape the City of Berkeley’s housing plan for the next eight years.

The City of Berkeley is creating a plan to meet the housing needs of our community over the next eight years, from 2023 to 2031. This state-mandated plan, known as a Housing Element, is developed with extensive input from the public, the State, and City stakeholders. Subscribe to our mailing list to stay informed. 

On February 28, 2023, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) found the City of Berkeley’s revised Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element (version 7) to be in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law (Article 10.6 of the Gov. Code).

The 2023-2031 Housing Element (clean and redlined versions) and HCD's compliance letter are available below:  

  • Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element and Appendices
  • Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element and Appendices with redlines
  • Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element Letter from HCD, 02/28/2023

On February 17, 2023, the City of Berkeley resubmitted a revised Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element (version 7) to HCD. City staff made a series of non-substantive edits and improvements in response to the formal comments received from HCD on January 30, 2023, following a 60-day review of the draft (version 5) and adopted (version 6) 2023-2031 Housing Element and appendices. The changes made are detailed in the cover letter submitted to HCD alongside the revised Housing Element.

City Council found the 2023-2031 Housing Element to be in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law on January 18, 2023, prior to its submittal to HCD on January 24, 2023.

Learn more about the Housing Element in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and below.

ABOUT THE PLAN

The Housing Element Update will serve as the City of Berkeley’s housing plan for the next eight years (2023-2031). It is an important opportunity for Berkeley’s residents and community members to come together to assess housing needs, identify policy and resource priorities, and find solutions to implement a wide range of housing choices. The plan contains goals, policies, and programs that will guide the City’s decision-making around the development and rehabilitation of housing.

The Housing Element serves as a comprehensive document for everyone in the Berkeley community. Racial and social equity, and protections for vulnerable and historically impacted communities, are key factors in this update to the City’s housing plan. 

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Housing Element Update will serve as the City of Berkeley’s housing plan for the next eight years (2023-2031). It is an important opportunity for Berkeley’s residents and community members to come together to assess housing needs, identify policy and resource priorities, and find solutions to implement a wide range of housing choices. The plan contains goals, policies, and programs that will guide the City’s decision-making around the development and rehabilitation of housing. 

The Housing Element serves as a comprehensive document for everyone in the Berkeley community. Racial and social equity, and protections for vulnerable and historically impacted communities, are key factors in this update to the City’s housing plan.  

The Housing Element is mandated by State law to be updated every eight years and certified by California’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Each jurisdiction in California receives a target number of homes to plan for called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA. On December 16, 2021, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Executive Board conducted a public hearing and adopted the Final RHNA Plan. The total Regional Housing Needs Determination (RHND) for the Bay Area in the 2023-2031 period is 441,176 units. Berkeley’s RHNA for the 2023-2031 period is 8,934 residential units. 

  • Berkeley’s RHNA for the 2015-2023 period is 2,959 residential units. 

  • Berkeley’s RHNA for the 2023-2031 period is 8,934 residential units. 

  • The total Regional Housing Needs Determination (RHND) for the Bay Area in the 2023-2031 period is 441,176 units. 

Income Level 2015-2023 RHNA Units 2023-2031 RHNA Units
Very Low (< 50% AMI)  532 2,446
Low (50-80% AMI)      442 1,408
Moderate (80-120% AMI) 584 1,416
Above Moderate (>120% AMI) 1,401 3,664
Total      2,959 8,934

An essential component of the Housing Element is to identify sufficient sites that can accommodate future housing needs across income levels. The Housing Element must also develop various approaches in order to meet those needs, such as zoning updates or new affordable housing requirements and programs.

PROJECT TIMELINE

State law requires that all jurisdictions in the Bay Area update their Housing Element for the 2023-2031 planning period by January 2023. In order to meet the State’s deadline, below is the planning process and timeline for each phase. Public outreach is a core component of the Housing Element Update and will inform the planning process throughout this 18-month effort.

  • June-December 2021: Analysis and Assessment
  • August 2021-April 2022: Sites and Opportunities
  • November 2021-May 2022: Goals and Policies
  • June-October 2022: Draft Housing Element and Review
  • November 2021-December 2022: Environmental Review
  • December 2022-March 2023: Adoption of Final Draft

This is a general timeline and actual timing may change.

RESOURCES

Project Documents

  • Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element and Appendices (v6), dated 01/23/2023
  • Public Review Comments (01/23/2023 to 01/30/2023)
  • Southside Area UC Berkeley Student Housing Survey Summary Results & Appendix
  • Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element and Appendices (v5), dated 12/1/2022
  • Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element and Appendices (v5), with redlines, 12/1/2022
  • Final Environment Impact Report (FEIT) and Response to Comments (RTC), dated 11/30/2022
  • City Response to Formal Comments from HCD, dated 12/01/22
  • Formal Comments from HCD, date 11/08/22
  • Public Review Comments (11/23/2022 to 11/30/2022)
  • Revised Public Review Draft Housing Element (v4), dated 11/23/2022
  • Revised Draft Housing Element (v3), dated 11/01/2022
  • Preliminary comments from HCD and City Response, dated 11/01/2022
  • Revised Draft housing Element v2, dated 10/17/2022
  • Public Review Comments (10/18/2022 to 10/25/2022)
  • Draft Environmental Impact Report 
  • Draft Environmental Impact Report Appendices
  • HCD Submittal Draft Housing Element 2023-2031
  • HCD Submittal Draft Housing Element Appendices A-D
  • HCD Submittal Draft Housing Element Appendix E AFFH
  • HCD Submittal Draft Housing Element Appendix F Outreach and Engagement
  • Public Review Draft Housing Element 30-day Public Comments
  • Berkeley Housing Element Accessible June 2022
  • Appendix C Sites Inventory Accessible June 2022
  • Public Review Draft Housing Element 2023-2031 (Tues, 06/14/2022 - Thurs, 07/14/2022)
  • Public Review Draft Housing Element Appendices A-D
  • Public Review Draft Housing Element Appendix E Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
  • Public Review Draft Housing Element Appendix F Outreach and Engagement
  • Residential Walking Tours Summary Report
  • Public Workshop #1 Summary Report
  • City-wide Survey Summary Results & Appendix
  • Housing Element EIR Notice of Preparation (NOP) – Public Scoping Period for the Housing Element Update EIR – Fri, 1/21/2022 to Mon, 2/21/2022

Annual Progress Reports (APR)

  • Housing Element APR 2021
  • Housing Element APR 2020
  • Housing Element APR 2019
  • Housing Element APR 2018
  • Housing Element APR 2017
  • Housing Element APR 2016
  • Housing Element APR 2015

Other Documents

  • 2015-2023 Housing Element, Adopted April 28, 2015
  • 2015-2023 Housing Element, Negative Declaration with Initial Study and Notice of Intent to Adopt

Other Resources

  • Berkeley General Plan
  • HCD Housing Element Overview
  • ABAG Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
  • City of Berkeley Residential Objective Standards

Online Maps

  • City of Berkeley Community GIS Portal. Includes Zoning and Parcel Conditions.
  • City of Berkeley Building & Planning Permits
  • City of Berkeley 2019 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
  • HCD Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Data Viewer.
  • HCD 5th Cycle SB 35 Determination.
  • MTC Race and Ethnicity by Census Block.
  • Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America (University of Richmond, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University)

Past Events

  • Council Worksession on Residential Objective Standards: Middle Housing and Southside
    September 20, 2022 2 Documents
    Document
    • 2022-09-20 WS Item 01 Residential Objective Standards.pdf (57.59 MB)
    Document
    • 2022-09-20 WS Item 1 Pres Planning.pdf (14.93 MB)
  • Public Workshop #3
    June 29, 2022 2 Documents
    Document
    • Public Workshop #3 - Agenda (2.82 MB)
    Document
    • Housing Element Update - 6th Cycle 2023-2031 - Presentation (14.84 MB)
  • Planning Commission Preliminary Sites Inventory and Housing Programs
    May 4, 2022 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

    Link

    Agenda
    Slides
  • City Council Work Session #3
    March 15, 2022 1 Documents
    Document
    • 2022-03-15_HE_Council WS 3 - Presentation (16.06 MB)

    Link

    Agenda
    Recording
  • Downtown Berkeley Farmer's Market
    February 26, 2022 1 Documents
    Document
    • Housing Element Farmer's Market Boards (4.43 MB)
  • ZORP Subcommittees Meeting #2
    February 16, 2022 2 Documents
    Document
    • ZORP Subcommittee Meeting #2 Presentation (11.08 MB)
    Document
    • Agenda (169.98 KB)
  • Planning Commission Notice of Preparation Scoping Meeting
    February 9, 2022 1 Documents
    Document
    • Housing Element Scoping Meeting (6.41 MB)
  • City / UC / Student Relations Committee
    January 28, 2022 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Public Workshop #2
    January 27, 2022 1 Documents
    Document
    • 2022-01-27_HE_Workshop 2 Flyer (English and Spanish) (2.02 MB)

    Link

    Recording
  • Civic Arts Commission
    January 19, 2022 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

    Link

    Agenda
  • ZORP Subcommittees Meeting #1
    December 15, 2021 2 Documents
    Document
    • 2021-12-15 PC_ZORP_Agenda - Packet (15.62 MB)
    Document
    • 2021-12-15_ZORP_Meeting 1_Presentation (12.16 MB)
  • City Council Work Session #2
    December 9, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Public Workshop #1
    October 27, 2021 1 Documents
    Document
    • Housing Element Workshop #1 Presentation (3.71 MB)

    Link

    Flyer
    Slides
    Recording
  • Housing Advisory Committee
    September 30, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Children, Youth, & Recreation Commission – September 27, 2021
    September 27, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Energy Commission
    September 22, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • City Council Work Session #1
    September 21, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Commission on Aging
    September 15, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Zoning Adjustments Board
    September 9, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Landmarks Preservation Commission
    September 2, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Commission on Disability
    September 1, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Homeless Services Panel of Experts
    September 1, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

  • Planning Commission
    September 21, 2021 0 Documents

    There are no documents associated with this event

In this section
General Plan and Area Plans
  • Ashby and North Berkeley BART Station Planning
  • Housing Element Update

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