FAQs
- Administers programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), State, and local funds
- Manages affordable housing development and programs to support low-income homeowners and first-time home buyers
- Manages rental assistance programs including Housing Choice Voucher Program and other housing stability programs for vulnerable populations such as Veterans, persons living with HIV/AIDS, transition-aged foster youth, and persons with disabilities
- Leverages County surplus property in accordance with the Surplus Land Act which requires that publicly-owned land first be offered up as affordable housing
- Manages zoning, permitting, and land use for the unincorporated area of the county which includes policies and strategies to support affordable housing development in the unincorporated area
What are the draft Blueprint goals?
These are the Blueprint’s draft five (5) goals. They are adopted from San Diego’s regional planning agency, SANDAG, and its Housing Acceleration Program Strategy (2022). The Strategy was established to prioritize planning activities that accelerate housing production. According to SANDAG, these housing policy goals, also known as the “5 P’s” address the root causes of the housing crisis. More information about the 5 P’s can be reviewed here.
1. Produce Housing for All
Support and implement policies to increase housing production of all kinds. Housing development should be located in urbanized areas with access to transit, jobs, and amenities that enhance the quality of life for residents.
3. Preserve Vulnerable Housing
Support proactive strategies to preserve restricted and unrestricted affordable housing such as tracking expiration dates of affordable housing deed restrictions, keeping tenants informed of their rights, and investing in the rehabilitation of housing to preserve affordability.
4. Prevent Displacement
Implement policies that prevent vulnerable residents from the harmful outcomes of displacement resulting from improvements to neighborhood amenities such as transit and open space. Strategies include studying existing and potential displacement pressures and monitoring the effectiveness of housing retention strategies in relation to planned transit investments.
5. Protect Tenants
Support renters by providing information on tenant rights and creating protections to minimize economic eviction or unsustainable rent increases.
What are the Blueprint's draft objectives?
These are the Blueprint’s draft eight (8) objectives. They reflect community input, specific regional priorities, direction from the Board, and State mandates.
1. As mandated by the State (Housing Element Law) and allocated to the County by SANDAG, plan for and facilitate the construction of 6,700 units by 2029 across the income categories assigned in the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) (very low, low, moderate, above moderate) for the unincorporated area
o Finance and incentivize the creation 2,800 Low- and Very Low-Income units (2,800 is the combined number of Low and Very Low-Income units mandated by the State and allocated to the County by SANDAG)
2. As reflected in the Joint City and County of San Diego Housing Resolution, support the production of 10,000 affordable units regionally by 2030 on publicly owned property
3. Create more available affordable units each year.
4. As directed by the Board, implement sustainability criteria for affordable housing developments funded by the County or developed on County property.
5. Identify and leverage alternative funding sources and cultivate partnerships.
6. Advance sustainable housing production by accelerating sustainable housing in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) efficient or infill areas near jobs and transit, in alignment with County’s Transportation Study Guide (TSG), Net Zero Carbon Commitment, Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF), and state mandates such as California Air Resources Board (CARB) plans, advancing equity.
7. As mandated by the State (AB 686), advance equity and fair housing by focusing affordable housing production in high opportunity areas, in alignment with State Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) criteria.
8. Advance housing across the region of San Diego County, including within areas of incorporated cities that are near jobs, amenities, transit, and/or otherwise meet our equity, community, and sustainability objectives.
What is the County’s role as it relates to housing affordability in San Diego?
The County is responsible for developing safe, healthy, and thriving communities through five affordable housing tasks:
Which directives related to housing has the Board approved since 2019 and what is the status of these efforts?
Click this link for a summary of the board directives on housing that were approved from 2019-2022 and their status on December 2022.
What other organizations in the region have a role in responding to the housing affordability crisis?
The housing crisis is a regional one. Public, private, and non-profit partners in the San Diego region are focused on addressing it. The County is working collaboratively with a range of regional partners to explore and implement solutions.
About the Regional Housing Needs Assessment
- Very low income – persons and families whose income does not exceed 50% of the area median income
- Low – persons and families whose income does not exceed 80% of the area median income
- Moderate – persons and families whose income does not exceed 120% of the area median income
- Above moderate – persons and families whose income exceeds 121% of the area median income
What is the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) and what is the amount of housing units the County is required to plan for under the current RHNA?
The State requires all local governments (counties and cities) to adequately plan to meet the housing needs of their communities. To meet this requirement, by law, each government must develop a Housing Element as part of its General Plan. The Regional Housing Needs Assessment or RHNA [r ee – n ah] is part of the Housing Element process. The numbers in the RHNA reflect the number of new units (segmented by income levels) a government must plan for and strive to build within an eight-year period. The State calculates the allocation for the San Diego region, and SANDAG, the region’s planning agency, then allocates the need to the different jurisdictions in the region based on various criteria – like proximity to jobs and transit. This process is repeated every eight years.
RHNA numbers for the 6th housing cycle (2021-2029) for the San Diego region and the unincorporated county.
For more information on the 6th Cycle RHNA allocation for the San Diego Region, visit SANDAG website.
What is meant by the very low, low, moderate, and above moderate income levels used in the RHNA?
The RHNA allocates the number of new housing units a region must plan for segmented by four income categories. The categories are prescribed by the California Health and Safety Code (Section 50093) and are a function of the area median income or AMI. AMI is the household income for the median/’middle’ household in the region. Thus, if you were to line up each household in the region from the lowest to the highest level of income, the household in the very middle would be considered the median.
What is a Housing Element?
The State requires all local governments (counties and cities) to adequately plan to meet the housing needs of their communities. To meet this requirement, by law, each government must develop a Housing Element as part of its General Plan. The County’s General Plan guides how and where a jurisdiction will grow. As part of the General Plan, the Housing Element includes goals and policies that reflect how the County is planning to meet our housing needs. These goals and policies direct the Housing Element’s implementation plan and County’s decision-making around housing.
What is the unincorporated area of the County?
The unincorporated area of the county is the area located outside the boundaries of the 18 incorporated cities, Tribal lands, and State and Federally owned lands in San Diego County.