The City of Gilroy’s 2023-2031 Housing Element was certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on August 21, 2023.
Gilroy is one of the few cities in Santa Clara County to have a certified Housing Element in substantial compliance with State law. This certification reflects the leadership of the City Council, the robust engagement from the community, and nearly two years of dedication by City staff in creating a comprehensive plan to guide housing development in Gilroy in the years to come.
The programs in the Housing Element describe specific actions the City will carry out over the eight-year Housing Element cycle to satisfy the community’s housing needs and meet the requirements of State law, including the regional housing needs allocation (RHNA). The programs are organized into seven major housing goals: Housing Production; Removal of Governmental Constraints; Housing Preservation and Improvement; Housing Assistance; Special Housing Needs; Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing; and Education and Outreach.
In 1969, the state mandated that all California cities, towns, and counties must plan for the housing needs of our residents—regardless of income. Under this state mandate, HCD determines how many housing units should be built across the state to meet regional needs. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) then distributes a share of the housing need to each city, town, and county in the bay area region. Gilroy’s regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) for the 2023-2031 planning period is 1,773 units. Broken down by income level, the allocation is 669 very low, 385 low, 200 moderate, and 519 above moderate (market rate) income units. The City has already met and exceeded the above moderate RHNA for Gilroy and has met all but 28 units (7%) of the low income RHNA.
For more information on Gilroy’s Housing Element, visit the City’s Housing Element Website.