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Oakdale council adopts 2023–2031 housing element update to meet state RENA
Summary
The council adopted the city’s six‑cycle housing element, which inventories sites and programs to meet a regional housing needs allocation (RENA) of 1,665 units and includes measures on missing‑middle housing, ADUs, and a fair‑housing assessment; zoning text amendments remain to secure final state certification.
Oakdale’s City Council voted to adopt the 2023–2031 housing element update after a consultant presentation explaining how the city’s sites and programs align with state housing‑element law and the regional housing needs allocation (RENA).
Consultant Luke Lemonbush told the council Oakdale’s RENA is 1,665 units and that the adopted site strategy provides a buffer—projected surplus of about 743 units—across income categories. The update includes programs to encourage missing‑middle housing types, expand accessory dwelling units (ADUs), facilitate zoning consistency with state law and implement a fair housing assessment required under Assembly Bill 686.
Lemonbush said the housing element work included robust community engagement, with nearly 600 bilingual survey responses; housing affordability and opportunities for home ownership emerged as top community priorities. The element also contains programs to prioritize water and sewer connections for affordable developments, streamline ministerial approvals consistent with state streamlining laws, and coordinate place‑based capital improvements to align infrastructure with housing sites.
Council members asked several clarification questions about the state certification process and whether adopting the plan requires the city to build units; staff and the consultant said the housing element is a zoning and planning exercise ensuring adequate capacity, not an obligation to construct the RENA number. The council also was told that zoning text amendments and other code changes must be implemented before the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will issue final certification; after adoption the city will forward the adopted draft to HCD for a 60‑day review.
The council approved the resolution adopting the housing element on a roll‑call vote recorded in the meeting. Next steps include moving zoning text amendments to the planning commission for implementation and returning documents to HCD for final review.
Representative facts from the hearing:
• Oakdale’s RENA (regional housing needs allocation): 1,665 units (as presented by consultant).
• Projected inventory surplus in the site strategy: ~743 units.
• Community engagement: nearly 600 survey responses.
Ending: Council adopted the housing element by resolution; staff will pursue the listed zoning amendments and submit the adopted element to HCD for the required review and potential certification.
