Housing Element Special Council Meeting Nov. 15th

Housing Element Special Council Meeting November 15th; Informational Open House November 9th

Published October 31, 2022

City of Piedmont staff will seek City Council authorization to submit the City’s Draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) for review at a special meeting on Tuesday, November 15th, 2022 at 6:00pm. The Planning & Building Department will host an informational open house on Wednesday, November 9th where community members can learn about proposed updates to the Draft Housing Element as well as timelines for submittal, certification, and implementation.

On August 1st, 2022, the Piedmont City Council directed staff to analyze the viability of potential changes to the Draft Housing Element, including:

  • Increased reliance on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to meet State-mandated housing production targets
  • Relocation of affordable units in the sites inventory from the Civic Center area to the mixed-use zone on Grand Avenue
  • Expansion of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan area to include all City-owned property along Moraga Avenue

Staff and consultants have completed the analysis directed by the City Council and will be presenting a revised sites inventory that reflects the results of that analysis.

The official State deadline for cities to adopt a compliant Housing Element is January 31, 2023. Once the City submits a Draft Housing Element for review, HCD has up to 90 days to return comments with requested revisions. Working actively to minimize any potential period of non-compliance, Planning & Building staff are in regular communication with HCD reviewers. The City is optimistic that once submitted, Piedmont’s Draft Housing Element will move through the review process swiftly.

Informational Open House November 9

Community members can learn more about the proposed updates to the Draft Housing Element and next steps at an upcoming informational open house:

Wednesday, November 9, 5-6:30pm
Piedmont Community Hall
711 Highland Avenue

At the event, Planning & Building staff will share information and answer questions about:

  • proposed changes to the Draft Housing Element sites inventory
  • timelines for Housing Element adoption and implementation
  • what to expect over the next three years as the City implements the policies and programs outlined in the Draft Housing Element

The open house will also provide information about consequences for non-compliance with State deadlines and how they impact Piedmont, including the process known as the “builder’s remedy,” which limits a city’s ability to deny applications for new development while its Housing Element is out of compliance.

New Resources on PiedmontisHome

For more information about the Housing Element update process, community members can visit PiedmontIsHome.org, the City’s online hub for housing policy issues in Piedmont. Staff are continually updating the site as part of the City’s ongoing effort to make the Housing Element update process more accessible.

Comments about the Housing Element can be emailed to [email protected].