Housing Element

The Housing Element is a part of each city’s general plan and is a document that describes the goals, policies and strategies of housing production, affordability, and accessibility. This document reflects the value the city places on equity and inclusion, and resident non-displacement. Every eight years, cities enter a new cycle and are required to update their Housing Element and get it approved by the State which determines if it is in compliance with state law. The document will include policies to meet the needs of disadvantaged communities assisted by fair housing laws.

The photo at right is a drawing of a proposed housing development at the corner of Latham and Escuela in Mountain View.

What is included in the Housing Element?

Why is this necessary?

This is necessary because there is such a huge imbalance between the large number of jobs in our area and the dearth of housing. This leads to a continuous rise in the price of housing requiring people to spend too much of their income on rent or mortgages and forces people to move further away from their jobs and into formidable commutes. 

The photo at right is a drawing of the proposed 323-unit addition to the existing 402-unit apartment at 555 Middlefield Road.

What is the position of the League of Women Voters on housing issues?

The League of Women Voters of California supports action at all levels of government for the provision of affordable housing for all. In addition, it supports a certified Housing Element. It believes in promoting increasing densities of housing units where appropriate if a feeling of open space is retained. The League supports cluster zoning which provides open space and promotes rezoning commercial to residential or mixed use. It encourages improvements to Caltrain, the expansion of car pooling, company buses, safe biking and pedestrian alternatives in order to reduce single vehicle miles driven.

Videos

The following non-league videos may not necessarily agree with the positions we have taken. They are offered as additional references for learning about housing issues.

City of Mountain View Housing Initiatives

SPUR - Housing Elements 101

SV@Home - Fair Housing and the Housing Element

ABAG - What is a Housing Element?