Additional State Comments on Draft Housing Element received May 23, 2023
The City of Piedmont received additional comments on its 6th Cycle Housing Element from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on Tuesday, May 23rd, at the conclusion of the State’s 60-day review period:
The May 23rd letter confirms the City has made substantial progress since first receiving written comments on February 16, 2023. State reviewers are requesting the City provide additional analysis regarding housing mobility, affordability, and the likelihood of development on certain sites, as well as additional detail on the timing of some milestones. As in the previous review cycle, HCD did not identify major structural issues or call for significant redirection of the City’s plans.
Planning staff and consultants are carefully reviewing each of HCD’s remaining comments and will work diligently to address outstanding questions. The City expects to complete the requested additional analysis and submit a revised Housing Element to HCD by mid-summer, which will begin another 60-day review period. If the revisions include any substantive changes to the City’s plan to accommodate 587 more homes by 2031, the updates would come to City Council for approval.
Because the City did not receive certification by May 31st, certain implementation timelines are subject to adjustment. Piedmont is in good company in this regard – most Bay Area cities are still awaiting final approval of their Housing Elements. The volume and complexity of State laws related to fair housing have grown substantially in recent years, making the preparation and review process significantly more complex compared to previous cycles. For each jurisdiction, HCD reviewers must confirm that the Housing Element fully addressed more than 100 specific requirements.