What is a Housing Element?

State law[1] requires each city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan for its physical development. General Plans include several “elements” that address various topics. The Diamond Bar General Plan[2] was comprehensively updated in 2019 and includes the following elements:

  • Land Use and Economic Development
  • Community Character and Place Making
  • Circulation
  • Resource Conservation
  • Public Facilities and Services
  • Public Safety
  • Community Health and Sustainability
  • Housing[3]

While most portions of General Plans typically have a time horizon of 20-25 years, State law requires that the Housing Element be updated in 8-year “cycles.” The City is currently preparing a Housing Element update for the 2021 to 2029 planning period, which is referred to as the “6th Housing Element cycle” in reference to the six required updates that have occurred since the comprehensive revision to State Housing Element law in 1980.

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[1] California Government Code Sec. 65300 et seq.

[2] http://www.diamondbargp.com/

[3] The Housing Element was last updated in 2014 and was not part of the 2019 General Plan update

Show All Answers

1. What is a Housing Element?
2. What is Housing Element “certification” and why is it important?
3. What are the most important issues that must be addressed in the Housing Element?
4. What is “affordable” housing?
5. What is the “RHNA” why is it important?
6. Is the RHNA a construction mandate?
7. What must cities do to comply with the RHNA?
8. Why are cities in high-cost areas expected to have affordable housing? Low-cost housing is not economically feasible here due to high land prices.
9. There is very little vacant land suitable for housing development left in Diamond Bar. Why is the RHNA allocation so high?