The seventh draft proved to be the charm for Los Gatos’ Housing Element, as the state approved the document in a May 3 letter.
Town officials sent the much-revised Housing Element, which dictates the location and amount of residential development in town for the next eight years, to the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for approval on March 18. The document outlines plans to build 1,993 housing units, a stark contrast to the goal of 619 units in the town’s previous Housing Element.
“Receiving state acceptance did not come easy,” Mayor Mary Badame said in a statement. “With six rejected Housing Element drafts, the town council established a focused agenda to openly engage the drafting and review process as a top priority.”
Discussion on the Housing Element had stalled in recent meetings before the final submittal to the state, as council members disagreed over the extent to which the document should dictate where small, multi-unit housing can be built. The document outlines plans to build the 1,993 housing units largely through redevelopment, since space for new developments in the town are restricted by the its geographical boundaries and wildfire risk.
“HCD appreciates the hard work and dedication the entire town staff provided in preparation of the town’s Housing Element and looks forward to receiving the town’s adopted Housing Element,” HCD Senior Program Manager Paul McDougall wrote in the letter announcing the state’s approval.
The town council last voted to approve the Housing Element at a special meeting in February 2023 to meet the state’s deadline and avoid the possibility of developers proposing housing projects that are beyond the town’s control, while still maintaining the ability to revise the document to align with the state’s requests.
The council will soon be tasked with implementing the plans outlined in the Housing Element. The planning commission will first consider the document at a May 22 meeting, and the council will consider their recommendations at a June 4 meeting before sending the Housing Element back to HCD for final approval, according to the town’s website.
