Belmont officially adopts housing element

The most recent 2023-31 cycle was more notably aggressive than previous rounds. Belmont must plan for 1,785 housing units by 2031, which is almost a four-fold increase in its RHNA allocation compared to 2015-23. 

San Mateo County’s total state-mandated housing targets, across all income levels, increased by about 4% between the 2007-14 and 2015-23 cycles. But from the last cycle to the current 2023-31 round, there was a nearly 200% bump.

The heightened state oversight has also led to more protracted review and approval processes. Over a year and a half into the housing element  process, Belmont isn’t the only city in the county to still not receive an official stamp of approval. About eight other jurisdictions in the county, including Daly City, Half Moon Bay and San Bruno, technically do not have a certified housing element, according to the HCD website. 

Some advocates have placed blame on some cities’ reluctance to make substantive housing progress, while many jurisdictions point to HCD’s inconsistent reviews and lengthy delays as the reason for noncompliance. 

But Belmont officials are optimistic this will be the last version of the housing element they’ll have to resubmit to HCD, as it was found to be “substantially compliant” by the state this summer.

Assistant City Manager Kathy Kleinbaum said there are not many substantive differences between the original version and current housing element, but some of the changes involve its approach to accessory dwelling units and assumptions about potential site development and density.

“This basically meant being a lot more conservative in our approach to the assumptions in the analysis, including having more conservative or reduced assumptions for the density that those housing sites would develop as,” Kleinbaum said. “We did remove some smaller sites from the inventory … but no additional sites were added to the sites’ inventory from what was previously considered back in January.”

The city also updated its approach to ADUs. While the state has passed more legislation over the last couple of years to proliferate more ADU development, the city added more policies to encourage development, such as allowing more flexible unit sizes and working with the county on potential loans for ADU development. 

The council unanimously adopted the housing element, which will be submitted to the state. HCD has 60 days to review and likely certify the document. 

“I think Belmont has a good story to tell as it relates to the affordable housing we’ve been doing and what we will continue to do to make our city inclusive,” Councilmember Davina Hurt said.