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Council questions RHNA math, incentives after 2025 Housing Element progress report
Summary
Councilmembers pressed staff about how RHNA numbers are allocated, expressed frustration that zoning alone does not produce housing, and discussed tools — fee reductions and inclusionary requirements — to incentivize affordable housing.
The Galt City Council on March 3 received the 2025 Housing Element annual progress report and spent substantial time questioning how regional housing allocations are determined and what tools the city can use to encourage affordable housing.
Planning staff and Ms. Mendez explained that RHNA (Regional Housing Need Allocation) numbers come from the state and are distributed through SACOG, which uses a methodology that factors historic growth, projected growth and available land. "It comes from the state to this basically the Council of Governments, and then they have to determine how those numbers get allocated," Ms. Mendez said.
Councilmembers said the allocation process is difficult to explain to constituents and noted that even when land is zoned for housing, units are not guaranteed to be built. One councilmember noted Galt had been assigned 1,926 units in a prior cycle but observed the city has not met prior targets.
Council discussion turned to incentives that might produce more affordable units, including fee reductions, inclusionary requirements that assess fees on market‑rate builders to fund affordable units, and other financing tools. Staff noted the city's implementation plan credits actions such as fee reductions and identifies properties for higher‑density zoning as part of the housing element update.
Council asked staff to continue public outreach so residents better understand why the housing element exists and what zoning obligations mean in practice. No formal action on new incentives was taken; council accepted the progress report as part of the consent sequence and directed staff to continue implementation work.
