Santa Clara County Finally Sees Housing Element Approved

The County of Santa Clara gained state approval for its housing element nearly two years after its initial mandatory deadline. The housing element, which was due January 31, 2023, requires all jurisdictions to plan for their mandated housing growth over the next eight years. It holds the County responsible for creating space for 3,100 more units, 1,300 of which need to be below market rate.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development approved the latest plans on December 31, 2024. This delay opened the door for nearly 40 builder’s remedy applications for new housing developments in unincorporated parts of the county. However, these applications do not need to follow local zoning laws because they were submitted while the county was out of compliance with the state. Moreover, many of the builder’s remedy projects are in suburban areas and focus on single-family home tracts, rather than the county’s preference for urban infill. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has pushed back against overseeing the development of 7,000 homes built on what is currently mostly agricultural or open space.

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Source: San Jose Spotlight

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