Housing elements are the plans behind every affordable housing development. Every city in California has a housing element, the blueprints for how communities will meet their housing needs. Cities are required to update their housing elements every eight years in order to plan for new housing development at all levels of affordability, including special needs housing and deeply affordable homes. The plans must also show how jurisdictions are affirmatively furthering fair housing, or undoing racial segregation caused by previous policies and practices.

County Housing Element

Join us today, support the county’s efforts to create a great housing element that plans for the housing needs of all residents. While San Mateo County has made important strides to promote housing in the last ten years, our county does not have enough affordable homes to meet the local need. This causes great hardship for people that need housing, their families, community members, and employers. Extremely low-income households, people with disabilities, and farmworkers are hit the hardest. Many individuals that grew up here can not afford to stay near their support networks or are forced to live in overcrowded or substandard conditions. The county can make significant changes to its policies and make it easier to build affordable homes and help people stay and thrive in San Mateo County. Sign our petition today, and bring more homes to our neighbors!