Click here to view the Draft Housing Element submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development on October 14, 2022. 

The City looks forward to receiving a report of findings pursuant to Government Code Sections 65585(b)(1) and 65585(b)(3).

San Carlos is committed to working with HCD to ensure that this Housing Element complies with State Housing Element law. The Housing Plan was drafted to ensure compliance and support additional housing opportunities for people of all income levels in San Carlos, including a significant upzoning of residential and mixed-use zoning districts and removal of development constraints. The Housing Element’s anticipated adoption is January 2023.

A foundational component of the Housing Element was community engagement. The City initiated an engagement campaign including a series of specific workshops, meetings, surveys, and City Council and Planning Commission study sessions to foster conversations about affordable housing and the Housing Element update. These included:

• 4 community workshops
• 2 online surveys
• 7 City Council subcommittee meetings
• 3 study sessions with Planning Commission and City Council

Building from these conversations, the Housing Element update was drafted. The Draft Element was advertised for public review on August 30, 2022 for a 30-day comment period. During that time, two additional study sessions were held and an online comment form allowed community members to easily provide feedback on the Draft Housing Element. Based on comments from the public, the City (consistent with AB 215) took 10 business days to consider and incorporate public comments. Key revisions include:

• Removed sites identified to be unlikely to redevelop and added additional sites where housing potential and redevelopment was identified
• Corrected errors and made minor edits to text pertaining to projects in the development pipeline
• Clarified existing and proposed City policies and procedures, including the Below Market Rate Housing Ordinance, open space and parking requirements, and permit processing timeframes
• Adjusted estimated affordability of accessory dwelling units projected in the sites inventory
• Retained and modified transition zones between higher density mixed-use and lower density residential zones to address privacy and neighborhood character concerns
• Incorporated climate change concerns into Housing Plan policies
• Reduced height proposal on E. San Carlos Avenue to an increase of 5 feet instead of 10 feet
• Added and modified implementation programs to further integrate and provide opportunity for housing and to remove development constraints

The Housing Element is scheduled to be considered by the Planning Commission for a formal recommendation on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 and for consideration by the City Council for adoption on Monday, January 23, 2023.

For questions, please email AdvancePlanning@cityofsancarlos.org