Placer County staff report half of RHNA capacity met; pipeline includes more than 1,000 affordable units

Placer County planning staff told the Planning Commission on a March hearing that the county will submit its 2024 housing element and general plan annual progress reports to the state by April 1, reporting progress and laying out a work program for the next phase of housing actions.

Principal planner Emily Setzer presented the housing element annual progress report, saying, "State code requires us to submit annual updates to our general plan and housing element progress... by April 1." She told commissioners the county has documented 3,153 housing units built so far in the 2021–2029 housing element cycle and retains zoning capacity to meet the county's RHNA allocation of 7,854 units.

The report showed the county is roughly halfway to the RHNA total but noted gaps by income category. Setzer said there were no very‑low‑income (VLI) units completed to date in the reporting period, though several projects in the pipeline are expected to include VLI and low‑income units. She listed anticipated developments including the Placer County Government Center Atwood project, Hope Way, Sabre City, Placer Property 1A and Dollar Creek Crossing, which together staff said could deliver more than 1,000 subsidized units when funded and built.

Why it matters: the annual progress report is the county's formal update to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation on RHNA progress, housing programs and implementation steps. The report also guides the county's short‑term priorities, including fee updates, infrastructure planning and incentives to encourage housing production.

Key details from the presentation and Q&A: - RHNA and production: The county's RHNA total for 2021–2029 is 7,854 units. To date the county has recorded 3,153 units constructed and estimates roughly 4,700 units remain to reach capacity targets. - Very low income units: Setzer said no very‑low‑income units were reported as built in the current tally but several pipeline projects aim to deliver VLI and low units once financing gaps are closed. - Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): The county reported increased ADU activity. The housing element assumed 86 ADUs per year; actual activity is exceeding that benchmark. In the county's 2024 ADU survey, 96% of ADUs were occupied; 27% of occupied ADUs charged rent; of units that charged rent, 14% charged rents affordable to a one‑person low‑income household; and overall about 74% of ADUs in the survey were rented at levels the county counted as affordable under its assumptions. - Implementation programs: The housing element includes about 49 programs. Staff said 12 are complete, 26 are underway and 11 remain to be started. Ongoing work cited included updates to subdivision standards, sewer capacity planning, implementation of affordable housing on specific sites (Dollar Creek Crossing), and a county fee study to align permit fees with processing costs.

Commissioners pressed staff on item specifics. Commissioner Johnson asked whether a potential county acquisition of a former motel in the Auburn/Bowman area (a Homekey candidate) would qualify as very‑low‑income permanent supportive housing; staff said the project may qualify but that the county would need to confirm eligibility before counting it as VLI. Commissioner Beckler asked staff to report whether any ADUs in the county's inventory are deed‑restricted for long‑term affordability; staff agreed to provide that information.

Staff said the housing element programs and a housing action plan will be returned to the Board of Supervisors in May, and quarterly project reports for planning items will be provided to the commission beginning at the March 27 meeting to track projects expected to appear before the commission or the board.

Background and context: Setzer reminded the commission that RHNA numbers are assigned by HCD and flow through SACOG to local jurisdictions; the county must maintain available zoning capacity but cannot directly compel private construction. Staff emphasized that many affordable projects depend on external subsidy sources (tax credits, state and federal programs) and therefore often take multiple years to assemble funding and advance to construction.

Looking ahead: Staff will submit the APR to HCD and the governor's office by April 1 and present the same report to the Board of Supervisors on March 18. The commission asked staff for future briefings or workshops on topics raised at a recent Planning Commissioner Academy, including state bills affecting local discretion, how the county's habitat/conservation plans (PCCP) interact with state housing laws, and how objective design standards and density bonus rules may affect review processes.