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Orinda reports modest housing production; staff to file 2025 progress report with state
Summary
City staff told the council the 2025 Annual Progress Report shows 27 building permits in the moderate-and-above-moderate bands and 37 residential project applications; the city has produced roughly 82 units across three years versus a RHNA target of 1,359 for the cycle.
Planning staff presented the city's 2025 Annual Progress Report (APR) on the adopted and certified housing element, noting continuing permit activity but a significant gap relative to the state's Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) target.
Christine Thompson summarized the record: Orinda adopted a certified housing element in January 2023 and submitted materials to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). For the sixth-cycle RHNA the state assigned Orinda a target of 1,359 units across income bands; through three years the city has documented roughly 82 units (about 6% of the RHNA target) and reported 27 building permits in the moderate-and-above-moderate categories for the 2025 reporting year. The planning department has received 37 residential applications this year that could yield as many as 71 units if completed, Thompson said.
Why it matters: Insufficient progress toward midcycle RHNA milestones can trigger state streamlining: in certain circumstances a jurisdiction can be subject to SB35 (streamlined ministerial approval) thresholds that lower the affordability requirement for streamlined projects; staff warned the council that sustained underproduction can change the jurisdiction's eligibility for state streamlining tools.
Key details: Staff reported that ADUs and JADUs account for the plurality of recent permits; larger multifamily developments remain limited in Orinda. Thompson confirmed the city completed rezoning actions required by the housing element and that HCD acknowledged the city as in conformance. The APR must be filed with HCD by April 1, 2026, with a narrative (Table D) documenting implementation steps, program progress and any completed actions.
Council reaction and next steps: Members asked comparative questions and sought greater clarity on affordability bands, ADU uptake, and the role of terrain and cost in slowing production. Staff said they would file the APR on schedule and continue outreach and implementation actions tied to the housing element. The council received the report and directed staff to submit the APR and to return with planned follow-up materials and any recommended programs to increase production and affordability.
Ending: The council emphasized ongoing monitoring and continued implementation work; staff will file the required APR by the April deadline and report back on targeted actions to accelerate progress.
