Housing Element

About

The City of Seaside is updating its Housing Element as part of the 6th Cycle to plan for housing during the next eight years (between 2023 and 2031). The Housing Element is part of the City’s General Plan and sets the long-term vision and policy for housing in the City. Its purpose is to facilitate the production of a variety of housing types, at different income levels, to accommodate all households and family types. Cities are required by state law to update their Housing Element every eight years.

March 27, 2024 - Housing Element Certification

On March 27, 2024, the City of Seaside Adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element was found to be in substantial compliance by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Obtaining housing element certification ensures the city's continued eligibility for several state and regional funding programs, and the city's continued efforts to address the community's housing needs.

HCD Letter of Compliance

 

March 18, 2024 - Revised 6th Cycle Draft Housing Element

The City of Seaside Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element has been revised based on feedback from HCD. The revised housing element will be available for public review until March 25, 2024 at 5pm.

Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element - March 18, 2024 Revised

Draft Technical Appendix - March 18, 2024 Revised

 

You can find more information about the Housing Element on the FAQ at the bottom of this page or the below video by HCD. For information on other City of Seaside Housing Programs, please visit here.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Housing Element? 

The Housing Element of the General Plan assesses Seaside's housing needs for the next eight years, identifies opportunities, and establishes clear goals and policies to inform future housing decisions.

The purpose of the Housing Element is to facilitate the production of a variety of housing types, at different income levels, for different household and family types. The Housing Element seeks to remove constraints to housing production, improve and preserve existing housing in the community, and promote fair housing.

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). The 6th Housing Element will shape and guide housing development from 2023 through 2031. The current Seaside Element adopted for the 2015 - 2023 period can be found here.

The Housing Element does not address land use, height, or density of development; implement specific controls for individual neighborhoods; or amend the Zoning Map or Planning Code.

Why update the Housing Element?

California State law requires cities to update their Housing Elements every 8 years. The current was adopted for the 2015 through 2022 period.  As cities continue to experience growth in population and jobs, availability of adequate and quality housing becomes critical to sustain prosperous communities and economies. The 6th Housing Element will shape and guide housing development from 2023 through 2031.

What is included in a Housing Element?

A typical Housing Element includes the following:

  • Housing Needs Assessment reflective of the City’s demographic, economic, and housing characteristics.
  • Constraints Analysis to remove barriers to the production and preservation of housing.
  • Sites Inventory with a list of potential sites that could accommodate future housing to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
  • Goals and Policies to promote housing production and define its characteristics.
  • Review of existing housing programs and their progress.
  • Community Outreach and Engagement with a particular focus on key stakeholders and traditionally underrepresented groups.
  • Fair Housing Assessment to ensure fair housing and opportunity for residents.

We encourage you to be a part of the Housing Element planning process. Participate in our events, sign up for our mailing list to get updates, and stay tuned for future meetings and workshops.

How does the Housing Element relate to other planning efforts?

The Housing Element will align with the Seaside2040 General Plan overall vision, goals and policies. The General Plan will plan for growth over the next 20-30 years, while the Housing Element will plan for probable and implementable housing over an eight-year horizon. All community input for both processes will inform each other.

What is RHNA?

Every eight years, the State determines the housing needs for California and for each region in the state based on growth projections and the current housing deficit. The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) distributes the Bay Area region’s housing need by number of units to each county and city. This is termed as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Each city must then update the Housing Element of its general plan to show the locations where housing can be built and the policies and strategies necessary to meet the community's housing needs.

What is the RHNA for Seaside?

The 6th cycle RHNA for Seaside is 616 housing units with a delineation by income categories to ensure that housing is planned for households at all economic levels. The breakdown by income category is defined below:

  • Very Low Income: 86
  • Low Income: 55
  • Moderate Income: 156
  • Above Moderate Income: 319

How will the City select RHNA sites?

As defined by recent Guidance from the state, sites selected towards meeting the RHNA targets must be available and suitable for residential development with appropriate zoning, development standards, and infrastructure capacity. These sites must demonstrate realistic redevelopment potential for the next eight years based on criteria established by the City after assessment of recent developer trends and interests. When considering sites to include in the site inventory of the housing element, the City will look at physical factors (size and shape of the parcel), existing use (vacant land or low density), environmental factors (safe from hazards like flood, fire or earthquake), social factors (preventing concentration or burdening of low income areas) and economic factors (areas with low opportunity, access to transit, schools, and parks) to name a few.

How is the Housing Element implemented?

The Housing Element is approved and adopted by the Seaside City Council and provides guidance for formulating citywide housing programs and policies and for evaluating development proposals. It sets goals, objectives, and actions to be implemented during the next eight years (2023-2031). The city must provide annual reports to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on its progress in implementing the Housing Element and RHNA.

What is Fair Housing?

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, and national origin. Over time the law expanded its protections to include discrimination based on sex, disability, and familial status. Assembly Bill 686, passed in 2018 by the California State Legislature, expands the fair housing requirements and protections outlined in the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). All Housing Elements are required to go beyond combating discrimination by affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH).

What are the consequences if Seaside does not adopt a Housing Element?

  • If a jurisdiction fails to adopt a compliant Housing Element, it could face fines and lawsuits from the State.
  • A court may limit local land use decision-making authority until the City brings its Housing Element into compliance.
  • An HCD certification establishes a “rebuttable presumption of validity” that the Housing Element complies with State law, which would support the City’s legal defense.
  • Various State of California grants and funding programs for transportation, infrastructure, and housing are only available to cities which have HCD certified Housing Elements.

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