Last Tuesday, April 23, San Mateo County’s Board of Supervisors voted to submit a new draft of its housing element to HCD. More than any other jurisdiction in the region, the County itself made substantial updates to its housing element in response to community input between the release of its first and second drafts. 

The County’s housing element now includes some of the boldest policies on the Peninsula, including rezonings (see maps here) in North Fair Oaks (80 du/ac), Unincorporated Colma (100 du/ac), Broadmoor (100 du/ac), and even coastal El Granada (60 du/ac). Specific policies incentivize public funds for special needs housing, including those with disabilities. And the County will pursue community plans for housing in Pescadero and the South Coast, laying the foundation for future development in some of its most challenging, highest-need areas. 

None of these changes would have been possible without the leadership of our Board of Supervisors or the hard work of county planning staff. In order to implement the myriad impactful policies in the housing element and process a likely increase in building applications, HLC and our partners recommend the County increase funding for the Planning & Building department to ensure adequate staff capacity. 

Read HLC’s Latest Comment to the County HERE

TOP: County’s plans from the January 2023 housing element draft for rezoning in unincorporated Colma to 60-87 du/ac. BOTTOM: County’s updated April 2024 housing element plans to rezone a larger area of unincorporated Colma to 100 du/ac, expanded at the request of Supervisor David Canepa.