Tuesday (November 15th, 2022), the Alameda City Council will vote to adopt its state-mandated Housing Element. However, there is a concerted effort to undermine the hard work so far to arrive at the planning staff's fully compliant Housing Element draft.

Read the letter from Alameda Planning Director Andrew Thomas that spells out exactly why it's vital that Alameda adopts this housing element to remain in compliance or risk:

• The “Builder’s Remedy” and unregulated housing development
• Loss of state and regional funding for Alameda public improvements
• Fines and lawsuits (including by the state or by activists and developers)

We need your help to need to let Alameda City Council know that they should adopt the current draft of the Housing Element to avoid putting Alameda at serious risk by being in a period of non-compliance with State Housing Element Law.

Alameda's current draft Housing Element was arrived at with extensive input and discussion from the community, advisory boards and commissions, and the City Council at over 25 public workshops over the course of two years!

In August, the California Department of Housing and Community Development notified the City that if the current draft of the Housing Element were to be adopted by the city, the city would remain in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law.

Having staff modify the Housing Element in any way at the 11th hour would put Alameda at serious risk of not meeting our January 31st deadline to adopt a compliant Housing Element.

Being out of compliance is BAD for Alameda. The city could be subject to fines by the state, uncontrolled development with no community input using what is known as the "Builder's Remedy,", loss of planning control, loss of state funds and grants for infrastructure, and a moratorium on all permits until the city is found in compliance again.

We already are seeing the consequences of being out of compliance in places like Santa Monica, which has seen 16 different housing projects be proposed, some being 15 stories tall, with no local input or ability to stop these projects. In Redondo Beach, we have seen a massive 2500-unit project proposed on the beach at the protest of the local City Council. This all happened because these cities did not meet their deadline to adopt compliant housing elements by their deadline.

Use this form to help write a letter to the council to let them know they should adopt the current housing element!