San Mateo Housing Element 2023-2031

Proposed 2023-2031 Housing Element Amendment

The City of San Mateo is proud to present draft amendments to the City’s certified 2023-2031 Housing Element for public review. The Housing Element is part of the City’s General Plan and must be certified as substantially compliant with state housing law by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Among other things, the Housing Element evaluates whether the City’s zoning laws plan for sufficient housing capacity to meet San Mateo’s share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), which is 7,015 units for the 2023-2031 planning period.

In May 2024, the City adopted its 2023-2031 Housing Element, which was subsequently certified by HCD in July 2024. Since adoption, the City has made significant progress implementing Housing Element policies and programs to reduce barriers for housing production and meet other housing policy goals. In November 2024, San Mateo voters approved Measure T, which provided for focused growth near transit, the downtown, and other targeted areas, thereby increasing potential residential development capacity around the City by approximately 20,000 units. The City has experienced a significant uptick in development applications with more than 5,000 residential units seeking City entitlements.

Following adoption of the Housing Element, the Housing Action Coalition sued the City, claiming that the Housing Element did not satisfy state law. The parties entered into a settlement agreement in July 2025. As part of the agreement, the City agreed to modify the Housing Element’s opportunity sites inventory and other portions of the Housing Element and Appendix C. All other appendices remaining unchanged. The significant proposed changes include the following:

Removal of nine sites from the opportunity sites inventory and an additional three sites that cannot be used for “No Net Loss” purposes;
Inclusion of two new sites into the opportunity sites inventory;
Incorporation of new proposed development sites seeking entitlements as pipeline projects;
Recalibration of the opportunity sites inventory with increased density based on Measure T, which increased the City’s housing opportunity sites capacity from 10,286 units to 14,388 units;
Updated Policy H 3.1 to reflect the recently established emergency rental assistance program; and
Minor updates to Policies H 1.2, H 3.4, and H 5.4.1 to align with current City budgetary needs and for internal consistency.

The draft amendments to the City’s 2023-2031 Housing Element were available for a seven-day required public review period, from October 10, 2025, and ending on October 17, 2025.

On October 22, 2025 the City submitted the draft amendments to the City's certified 2023-2031 Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for their review.

Draft Amendment to the San Mateo Housing Element - Public Draft (October 10, 2025) and Submitted to HCD (October 22, 2025)

Cover Letter Addressed to HCD
San Mateo Housing Element 2023-2031 (Marked-up Version)
San Mateo Housing Element 2023-2031 (Clean Version)
Appendix C- Housing Resources and Inventory (Marked-up Version)
Appendix C- Housing Resources and Inventory (Clean Version)

HCD Review Letter - December 18, 2025

Public Meetings

Planning Commission – Public Hearing, General Plan Amendment to Recommend Council Adoption of the San Mateo 2023-2031 Housing Element Amendments

Date/Time: 7:00 pm, January 27, 2026
Location: City Council Chambers, 330 W 20th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94403 and online via Zoom. Please visit www.cityofsanmateo.org/publicmeetings for meeting information and access.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive community input and provide a recommendation to City Council for a General Plan Amendment to adopt the 2023-2031 Housing Element Amendments. The City Council public hearing is tentatively scheduled for February 23, 2026. On May 20, 2024, the City Council adopted a General Plan Amendment to repeal the previously adopted Housing Element and adopted the Housing Element for the Sixth Housing Cycle (2023-2031). The City of San Mateo is revising the Housing Element by updating the Housing Sites Inventory to remove eight sites, add two additional sites, identify sites that cannot be used for “no net loss,” update site capacities based on voter approved Measure T and the addition of new pipeline project sites. The amendments also include minor updates to Implementation Plan action items and text changes in the main document to reflect these changes. On December 18, 2025, the City received a letter from the California State Department of Housing and Community Development that the Housing Element Amendments will be in substantial compliance with State law once adopted.

The Planning Commission will consider recommendation of the following documents for Council adoption. Since submitting to HCD (see above) there have been minor changes to correct errors, formatting issues, and to relist housing opportunity sites that were removed, but requested by property owners to be relisted.

San Mateo Housing Element 2023-2031 (Marked-up Version)
San Mateo Housing Element 2023-2031 (Clean Version)
Appendix C- Housing Resources and Inventory (Marked-up Version)
Appendix C- Housing Resources and Inventory (Clean Version)

Staff Contact

Steve Golden, Principal Planner
sgolden@cityofsanmateo.org
650-522-7215

Adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element

On May 20, 2024, the City Council adopted a General Plan Amendment to repeal the previously adopted Housing Element and adopted the revised Housing Element for the Sixth Housing Cycle (2023-2031)

On July 23, 2024, the City received a letter from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) stating that the adopted Housing Element was in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law.

HCD Substantial Compliance Letter

2023-2031 Housing Element

The 2023-2031 Housing Element is a state-mandated plan for how the City of San Mateo can accommodate at least 7,015 new homes over the next eight years and includes goals, policies and programs to help address current and future housing needs. It is the City’s blueprint for all housing-related decisions and sets an action plan for how to meet housing goals and ensure that housing can be provided for all residents and community members.

Community Input

All feedback and comments are welcome.

By email to: housing@cityofsanmateo.org. Please send email comments with subject line “Housing Element”.
By mail to: Housing Manager, City of San Mateo, Planning Division, 330 West 20th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403
Submit comment online.

Stay Informed

Housing Programs and Policy Email Updates

More information will be added to this page when updates become available. Please check back frequently or sign up for the Housing Programs and Policy Updates email list to keep current on the progress and be notified of community events.

Let's Talk Housing

Let's Talk Housing is a collaborative effort of all the jurisdictions in San Mateo County focused on getting community feedback that will shape our Housing Elements – a housing plan that is part of every General Plan. Through an ongoing initiative called 21 Elements, we are working together to learn from and listen to the community about their housing needs, helping to make sure everyone is involved in shaping our shared future.

General Plan 2040 - Strive San Mateo

On March 18, 2024 the City Council adopted San Mateo’s General Plan 2040, which lays out the community’s vision for how our city will look, feel, and change over the coming years. The Housing Element is one of the General Plan elements, however, adopted under a separate cover. For more information, please go to the General Plan 2040 website found here: http://strivesanmateo.org