Housing Element

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The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Findings/Comment Letter Received May 30, 2023

On May 30, 2023, the Town received HCD’s findings/comment letter on the Draft Revised Housing Element.  The findings/comment letter is in reference to the Town’s Draft Revised Housing Element submitted to HCD on March 31, 2023.  HCD determined that the Town’s Draft Revised Housing Element addresses many statutory requirements, but identified revisions necessary to comply with State Housing Element law.  

Next Steps

On June 15, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. the Town’s Housing Element Advisory Board (HEAB) will meet to review HCD’s findings/comment letter and discuss possible modifications to the Town’s Draft Revised Housing Element.  The HEAB meeting will be held in the Town Council Chambers at 110 E. Main Street, Los Gatos.  The Town encourages the public to send in written comments via email to HEUpdate@losgatosca.gov.  Comments will be reviewed and distributed before the meeting if received by 11:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting. 

After discussion with the HEAB, staff and the Town’s consultants will prepare the revisions and continue to consult with HCD. 

Once the revised document is complete, it will be reviewed by the HEAB. 

The revised document will then be made available to the public for a seven-day review period prior to HCD re-submittal.  Subsequent review by HCD can take up to sixty days.

Housing Element Update Frequently Asked Questions

A Housing Element Update Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document has been created to discuss the Housing Element Overlay Zone proposed in the 2023-2031 Housing Element.  The questions and answers in the FAQ are intended to walk through the steps for how the Housing Element Overlay Zone will be implemented.  

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Findings/Comment Letter Received April 14, 2023

On April 14, 2023, the Town received HCD’s findings/comment letter on the Town’s Housing Element, as adopted on January 30, 2023, and submitted to HCD on February 13, 2023.

HCD found that the Town’s adopted Housing Element contained minimal revisions with the exception of utilizing minimum densities to calculate residential capacity and adding a few sites, but otherwise provided no content to address the other comments contained in HCD’s January 12, 2023, review.  For these reasons, HCD did not repeat its findings and referred the Town to that prior review (available below).   

On March 31, 2023, the Town submitted a revised draft Housing Element to HCD.  HCD has referenced this revised draft as a separate submission, and the Town expects to receive a separate HCD findings/comment letter addressing this submittal.  

Draft Revised 2023-2031 Housing Element Resubmitted to HCD for Review

On March 31, 2023, the Town resubmitted the draft Revised 2023-2031 Housing Element to HCD for review and comment.  Materials distributed to HCD included the following:

Seven-Day Public Review of the Draft  Revised Housing Element

On March 16, 2023, the Housing Element Advisory Board reviewed the revised Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element which included modifications to the Town Council adopted 2023-2031 Draft Housing Element, in response to the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) Findings/Comment Letter received by the Town on January 12, 2023.  The Draft Revised 2023 -2031 Housing Element was made available to the public for a seven-day review period prior to HCD re-submittal.  The seven-day public review period was from March 23, 2023 to March 30, 2023. The seven-day public review period is complete but public comments are still encouraged throughout the process. 

Housing Element Advisory Board - March 16, 2023

On March 16, 2023, the Housing Element Advisory Board reviewed the revised Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element which included modifications to the Town Council adopted 2023-2031 Draft Housing Element, in response to the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) Findings/Comment Letter received by the Town on January 12, 2023.  Following their review, they recommended that staff resubmit the revised Draft Housing Element to HCD with modifications.  

The agenda, staff report, and an audio recording of the March 16, 2023, Housing Element Advisory Board meeting are available on the Town’s website at: https://www.losgatosca.gov/AgendaCenter.

Housing Element Advisory Board materials also included the following:

Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element Resubmitted to HCD for Review

On February 13, 2023, the Town resubmitted the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element to HCD for review and comment.  Materials distributed to HCD included the following:

Seven-Day Public Review of the Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element

On January 30, 2023, the Town Council adopted the 2023-2031 Housing Element with modifications to the Sites Inventory, finding that it was in substantial compliance with State law.   The 2023-2031 Housing Element was made available to the public for a seven-day review period prior to HCD re-submittal.  The seven-day public review period was from February 3, 2023, to February 10, 2023.  The seven-day public review period is complete but public comments are still encouraged throughout the process.

Environmental Analysis available

You can access the Environmental Analysis for the 2023-2031 Housing Element here.  

The 2023-2031 Housing Element has been Adopted. 

On January 30, 2023, the Town Council adopted the 2023-2031 Housing Element with modifications to the Sites Inventory, finding that it was in substantial compliance with State law.   The staff report, attachments, and video of the meeting can be viewed on the Town’s website at https://losgatos-ca.municodemeetings.com/. 

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Findings/Comment Letter

On January 12, 2023, the Town received HCD’s findings/comment letter on the Draft Housing Element. HCD determined that the Town’s Draft Housing Element addresses many statutory requirements but identified revisions necessary to comply with State Housing Element law.  HCD considered additional public comments that were submitted directly to HCD and can be viewed here. 

Planning Commission Meeting - January 11, 2023

On January 11, 2023, the Planning Commission made a recommendation to the Town Council to adopt the Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element. The staff report, attachments, and video of the meeting can be viewed on the Town’s website at https://losgatos-ca.municodemeetings.com/.

HCD Initial Review Draft Housing Element Submitted to HCD for Preliminary Review 

The 30-day Public Review Period is Complete but Public Comments Are Still Encouraged Throughout the Process

On October 14, 2022, the Town submitted the HCD Initial Review Draft Housing Element to HCD for preliminary review and comment. Materials distributed to HCD included the following:

 

Housing Element 2023-2031
Thank you for visiting the Town’s 2023-2031 Housing Element Update webpage.  The Town of Los Gatos is required to prepare an updated Housing Element for the period covering 2023-2031 by January 31, 2023. 


What is the Housing Element?
The Housing Element is the Town’s strategic plan for housing the Town’s present and future residents.  The State of California requires the Town to update its Housing Element every eight years.  The Town has begun updating its Housing Element for the next eight-year period, 2023-2031.

In accordance with State law, the Housing Element update must include, at the minimum, the following sections: 

  1. An analysis of housing needs of the Town’s population; 
  2. An inventory of housing sites to accommodate future growth;
  3. An analysis of housing constraints that impact housing production;
  4. Programs that implement the City's housing policies; and
  5. Action that promotes and furthers fair housing opportunities.

Housing Element Advisory Board
The Housing Element Advisory Board (HEAB) assists with the preparation of the Housing Element and provides recommendations on specific strategies, concepts, and/or policies to accommodate the Town’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 1,993 housing units for the next eight-year period (2023-2031).  More information on HEAB meetings, agendas and minutes are available on the HEAB Agenda and Minutes page.  

Join the Conversation
If you are interested in upcoming Housing Element update meetings, participation in the process or general information, send an email to HEUpdate@losgatosca.gov. To stay up-to-date on the most recent Housing Element news, be sure to sign up for Notify Me and subscribe to General Plan Update 2040.

Housing Element 2015-2023
On May 5, 2015, the Town Council adopted the 2015-2023 Housing Element for the Town of Los Gatos. The adopted Housing Element was certified by the State Housing and Community Development Department on May 20, 2015.
 
State HCD 2015-2023 Housing Element Certification Letter
2015-2023 Housing Element
2015-2023 Housing Element Technical Appendices
Housing Element Advisory Board Agendas, Staff Reports and Materials

For more information, please contact Joel Paulson, Community Development Director.