Land Use & Planning

California Department of Housing and Community Development

California requires that all local governments (cities and counties) adequately plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community. California’s local governments meet this requirement by adopting housing plans as part of their “general plan”. General plans serve as the local government’s "blueprint" for how the city and/or county will grow and develop and include eight elements: land use, transportation, conservation, noise, open space, safety, environmental justice, and housing. The Housing Element Compliance Report provides current Housing Element Compliance Status. Additional information about Housing Elements can be found on HCD’s website here: https://www.hcd.ca.gov/planning-and-community-development/housing-elements.

Updated Sep 26, 2026