The General Plan Update for Oakland’s 2045 General Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for all Oaklanders to work together to create a visionary blueprint for the future of our city. Once approved in 2025, the Oakland 2045 General Plan will guide the development of our City for the following two decades. Phase I is currently underway, beginning with the Housing Element, which must be completed by 2023 and be approved by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

The Housing element analyzes Oakland’s housing conditions and needs for all income levels, including lower-income households and households with special needs. It provides various programs to create a variety of housing to meet Oakland’s housing needs. In Oakland (and most major cities), the Housing Element must be revised and submitted to State HCD for review on an eight-year cycle. The Housing Element must be completed and approved on time for the City to qualify for receiving State grants.

This important component of the General Plan outlines how the City will meet its housing goals for the next two decades. To meet the state’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), Oakland must plan for 26,000 new units that are affordable for extremely low- to above-moderate income households.

The City of Oakland kicked off its first two public workshops on the Housing Element for the General Plan Update on February 10 and 17, 2022. Workshop participants shared their ideas on major housing issues facing the city and opportunities to plan for
new housing throughout Oakland.

The next public workshop is on March 12, 2022. The General Plan Town Hall is scheduled for March 26.

To receive email updates, visit https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/general-plan-update#general-plan-email-updates.