Plumas County releases 2024–2029 housing element draft; 30-day public review begins

Plumas County planning staff announced the public review draft of the county’s 2024–2029 Housing Element on July 1 and opened the statutorily required 30-day public-comment period. The document, staff said, addresses the state’s regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) of 154 units and lays out zoning and program measures intended to accommodate housing across income categories.

Why it matters: County planning staff said the Housing Element is a mandatory element of the county General Plan and that certification by the state is required to keep the county eligible for certain housing-related funding. Staff noted the county is about a year behind the state’s filing deadline and is working to complete public review, planning commission workshops, and board review so the document can be adopted and certified.

Draft content and outreach: The draft identifies vacant and underutilized parcels, examines multifamily zoning capacity, and includes commentary on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing and special housing needs populations. Planning Director Tracy Ferguson said staff will proactively reach out to housing advocates, stakeholders and the public over the next 30 days; Assistant Planner Amanda Harmon is listed as the contact for comments and outreach.

Next steps: Staff said it will return to the Board of Supervisors on July 15 for a more comprehensive review and thanked the planning commission and internal staff for their work. Public comments will be compiled and considered before any final adoption action and before the county submits the Housing Element for state review and certification.