County to hold workshop on “housing issues” in unincorporated Midcoast, Weds in HMB

The county is hold a workshop to discuss housing issues in the unincorporated areas and to present ideas about housing priorities and needs.

The meeting will be Wednesday, September 30, 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Half Moon Village, 9 Bloom Lane, Half Moon Bay. The meetings will be conducted in English and Spanish. The meeting will focus on only San Mateo County’s unincorporated areas. The Housing Element Update will not apply to cities.

According to the county press release:

The meetings will help San Mateo County planners update the County’s Housing Element, a component of the General Plan. State law requires cities and counties to update the Housing Element every five years so local governments can plan to meet the existing and projected housing needs in the community.

State law recognizes the vital role local governments play in the supply and affordability of housing. The law acknowledges that, in order for the private market to adequately address housing needs and demand, local governments must adopt land use plans and regulatory systems that provide opportunities for, and do not unduly constrain, housing development.

The State does not require cities and counties to actually build the housing necessary to meet the community’s needs. However, it does require that each community adopt policies and programs to support housing development, as well as provide adequate land at appropriate densities to allow the private and non-profit sectors to meet the housing needs of all economic segments of the community.

San Mateo County’s current Housing Element was adopted in 2003; the County is now updating the Element to cover the period from 2007-2014.

For more information, visit www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/planning/housingelementupdate or call William Gibson or Steve Monowitz, Department of Planning and Building, at 650-363-1816 or 650-363-1855.