Per Government Code Section 65584.04(b), as part of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process to assess housing needs for 2022-2030, ABAG is required to survey local governments regarding factors the RHNA methodology must address. Recent legislation has updated some of the factors required for previous RHNA cycles and added new factors. For the full list of factors currently required by statute, please refer to Government Code Section 65584.04(e).

Recent legislation mandates that RHNA and local Housing Elements affirmatively further fair housing, and this survey also collects information about fair housing issues, strategies, and actions in addition to asking about local planning factors. The data and questions in this survey are also intended to help each jurisdiction understand the framework needed to begin to assess fair housing issues for the next Housing Element update in 2022.

We are grateful for your participation in this process. Your responses provide valuable local perspectives for both ABAG staff and the Housing Methodology Committee. While the information you provide will inform the design of the RHNA methodology, responses will not necessarily be used as inputs in the allocation formula. Per Government Code Section 65584.04(b)(4), none of the information received may be used as a basis for reducing the total housing need established for the region pursuant to Government Code Section 65584.01.

Per Government Code Section 65584.04(g), there are several criteria that cannot be used to determine or reduce a jurisdiction’s RHNA allocation:

1. Any ordinance, policy, voter-approved measure, or standard of a city or county that directly or indirectly limits the number of residential building permits issued by the jurisdiction
2. Prior underproduction of housing units as measured by the last RHNA cycle allocation
3. Stable population numbers in a jurisdiction during the previous RHNA cycle.

Instructions

Please review each question in the survey and provide any information that may be relevant to the RHNA methodology. While the survey is not mandatory, we would appreciate your efforts to answer the questions to the best of your ability and cite specific data when possible. Complete and thorough responses are appreciated, but a lengthy analysis is not required. It is okay to skip a question if it does not apply to your jurisdiction or no information is readily available.

Please note that the survey cannot be viewed properly on a phone or tablet and is best completed on a computer.

Click below to create a username and login before beginning the survey. After you have created an account, you can save your progress at any time and exit the survey. When you log back in and return to the survey, your answers will be preserved.

This survey is being sent to planning directors, housing staff, and city managers in all Bay Area jurisdictions. We ask that you coordinate submission of one survey response for your jurisdiction. Please direct any questions or concerns to RHNA@bayareametro.gov.  Please complete your response by February 5th.

Thank you for your time! Learn more about the overall RHNA process and ABAG’s role.