Time is running out on Alameda County's already year-late housing element

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COUNTY NEWS

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

—HOUSING ELEMENT DUE—Alameda County is in a mad rush to submit a housing element already one year past due before the end of this month.

—If not, the county risks losing millions in funding for parks, transportation projects, homelessness, in addition to its efforts to apply for funding in the future.

—The state is calling for Alameda County’s unincorporated areas to absorb 4,711 new housing units by 2031, a 166 percent increase over the previous eight-year period.

—Amid a growing NIMBY movement in some parts of the unincorporated areas, finding agreement about where to build the new units has slowed the process and fueled discontent.

—“It’s 4,711 units. That’s a lot of units and they have to go somewhere,” said Alameda County Planning Director Albert Lopez. “We didn’t think it would take this long.”

—The draft housing element has also been met with strong opposition from three Municipal Advisory Councils (MAC)—Castro Valley, Fairview, and Eden Area.

—Each MAC expressed concerns about the impacts of potential rezoning on existing areas, along with worries about fire dangers in the canyon areas.

—In addition, the Alameda County Planning Commission voted, 4-3, to oppose the draft housing element…

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