What is the Housing Element?
Marin County, like other communities in California, underwent a planning process under State law to identify how to meet our housing needs at all income levels. This process involved updating the County’s Housing Element, a required component of the Countywide Plan (the County’s general plan). The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) dictates that among the seven mandatory elements of a general plan, one element must address local housing needs. Unlike other elements of the general plan, the housing element is reviewed and certified by the State.
According to State housing element legislation, all local governments must adopt land use plans and regulations that provide opportunities for, and do not unduly constrain, housing development. Since housing availability is a critical issue with statewide implications, and most housing decisions occur at the local level, State law requires housing elements to be updated on a regular cycle every eight years. The latest Housing Element update applies to planning periods 2022-2030.
2023-2031 Housing Element Update (6th Cycle)
The County has been engaging with the community for the last several years to work on the 6th cycle Housing Element. On January 24, 2023, the Marin County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt the 2023-2031 Marin County Housing Element, Safety Element, and Environmental Impact Report, along with related Countywide Plan and Development Code amendments. On June 19, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certified Marin's Housing Element.
More to come! Subscribe to receive email updates and announcements for community workshops as the County implements the Housing Element programs and policies in the coming years.