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City of Sausalito 2023-2031 Housing Element History

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Housing Element Overview

Under State law, every city and county in California is required to update its Housing Element to address specific requirements and submit the element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). In January of 2023, the City of Sausalito adopted its sixth-cycle Housing Element of the City’s General Plan. The City received a letter of Substantial Compliance from the Department of Community Development in connection with its adopted Housing Element on April 28, 2023.

In 2024, the City of Sausalito began the process of amending the City’s Adopted Sixth-Cycle Housing Element (2023-2031). In May of 2025, the City of Sausalito adopted its amended sixth-cycle Housing Element. The City received a letter of Substantial Compliance from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in connection with its adopted amended Housing Element on May 22, 2025. 

Please refer to the information below for a detailed summary of the timeline and process associated with the City’s initially adopted Housing Element, as well as the amended Housing Element.

Adopted Amended Housing Element (May 27, 2025)

On May 27, 2025, the City of Sausalito adopted its amended sixth cycle Housing Element of the City’s General Plan. The City received a letter of Substantial Compliance from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in connection with its adopted amended Housing Element on May 22, 2025. The adopted amended housing element can be viewed on the Adopted Amended Housing Element webpage here.

Consolidated Complete Revised Draft Amended Housing Element (May 20, 2025)

In preparation for a City Council public hearing on May 27, 2025, to approve the Draft Amended Housing Element, the City has assembled a consolidated complete revised Draft Amended Housing Element. Previous versions, such as the May 5, 2025 Draft Amended Housing Element shown below, were limited to the Adopted Housing Element pages and figures proposed for modification. This version is a complete and edited version of the Adopted Housing Element, dated January 30, 2023.

Revised Draft Amended Housing Element (May 5, 2025)

On May 13, 2025, the City submitted proposed revisions to the Draft Amended Housing Element (March 27, 2025, submittal – see link below) to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

These amendments were proposed primarily in response to: 1) Comments received on the Amended Housing Element (March 27, 2025, submittal) provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development; and 2) Public comments raised and received.

These amendments were proposed to ensure that the City is prepared to meet the future housing needs of Sausalito for the planning period from 2023 through 2031 while ensuring and prioritizing the preservation of the City’s historic district and sustainable waterfront development.

Revised Draft Amended Housing Element (March 27, 2025)

Subsequently, the City held a series of Study Sessions on the Draft Amended Housing Element with both the Planning Commission and City Council in Fall of 2024 and early 2025 (see below). The City also submitted the Draft Amended Housing Element for review by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and received a comment letter from HCD on November 4, 2024 (see below). Public Hearings were held by the Planning Commission and City Council on February 19, 2025, and February 25, 2025, respectively. In response to public comments raised, the direction provided by the Planning Commission and City Council, and further discussions held with HCD regarding their November 4, 2024, comments, staff prepared revisions to the Draft Amended 6th Cycle housing Element (dated March 27, 2024). The draft amendments reduced densities and scale on some sites (and eliminating an unworkable site owned by Caltrans) while adding and re-allocating densities to other sites to assure Sausalito can continue to meet its required housing allocation:

Draft Amended Housing Element (August 15, 2024)

The City of Sausalito engaged in the process of amending its adopted Housing Element to ensure that the City is prepared to meet the future housing needs of Sausalito for the planning period from 2023 through 2031 while ensuring and prioritizing the preservation of the City’s historic district and sustainable waterfront development. The draft amendments reduced densities and scale on some sites (and eliminated an unworkable site owned by Caltrans) while adding and re-allocating densities to other sites to assure Sausalito can continue to meet its required housing allocation. The City initially posted the Draft Amended Housing Element on August 15, 2024:

Amended Housing Element - Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

On February 14, 2025, the City published a Final EIR, which provided responses to comments, revisions to the Draft EIR, and a proposed Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). The public comment period on the Recirculated Draft EIR closed on January 27, 2025. Public Comments on both the Draft EIR and the Recirculated DEIR can be read here and here (23 Comment Letters)

Staff prepared revisions to the DEIR to provide more robust project alternatives, based on public comment and feedback received during the Planning Commission and City Council Study Sessions. On December 13, 2024, the City released a Notice of Availability (NOA) and published a Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Draft Amended Housing Element (above). The NOA, DEIR, and Appendices to the DEIR are provided below:

On September 4, 2024, the City released a Notice of Availability (NOA) and published a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Draft Amended Housing Element (above). The NOA, DEIR, and Appendices to the DEIR are provided below:

On July 17, 2024, the City released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) for a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for an amended Housing Element; a public scoping session was held on August 6, 2024. The proposed Amendments to the Housing Element Programs and the NOP, presentation materials, and video of the scoping meeting are provided below.

City Council and Planning Commission Study Sessions

On October 1, 2024, the City Council held a Study Session to review the Draft Amended Housing Element. The Staff Report, Amended Housing Element, Staff Presentation, and all Public Comments can be viewed here. The presentation, public comments, and City Council discussion and comments can be viewed here.

Subsequently, on October 23, 2024, the Planning Commission held a Study Session to review the Draft Amended Housing Element. The Staff Report, Amended Housing Element, Staff Presentation, and all Public Comments can be viewed here. The presentation, public comments, and Planning Commission discussion and comments can be viewed here.

On January 15, 2025, the Planning Commission conducted a Study Session to review the Draft Amended Housing Element, including a Draft Modified Amended Housing Element (Alternative), and Draft General Plan Amendments and Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map that would be required in order to implement the programs of the Draft Amended Housing Element.  The purpose of the Study Session was for the Planning Commission to review and provide comment on these documents prior to the initiation of public hearings on the matters. The presentation, public comments, and Planning Commission discussion and comments can be viewed here.

The City Council held a Study Session on February 4, 2024, to further review the Draft Amended Housing Element, including a Draft Modified Amended Housing Element (Alternative), and Draft General Plan Amendments and Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map that would be required in order to implement the programs of the Draft Amended Housing Element. The purpose of the Study Session is for the City Council to review and provide comment on these documents prior to the initiation of public hearings on these matters. The staff reports, materials, presentations, public comments, and City Council discussion, and the video of the meeting can be viewed here. 

Planning Commission Public Hearing

The City scheduled a Planning Commission Public Hearing on Wednesday February 19, 2024, to review and provide recommendations on Amended 2023-2031 Housing Element. The included review of Amendments to General Plan Chapters 1 (Land Use and Growth Management Element), 4 (Community Design, Historic and Cultural Preservation Element), and 5 (Circulation and Parking Element) to ensure consistency with the Amended Housing Element. The public hearing also included review and recommendation on Amendments to Municipal Code Title 10 (Zoning Ordinance) and Amendments to Zoning Map to implement Housing Element Program to accommodate a variety of housing types and Program 4 to rezone of opportunity sites to new overlay zoning districts. A portion of sites proposed for rezoning included sites that are subject to a vote of the electorate under Ordinance 1022 and Ordinance 1128. The Planning Commission also reviewed the text of potential ballot measure(s) to allow such rezoning in line with Program 4 of the Amended Housing Element. The following are drafts of documents that were under consideration:

Review by the California Department of Housing and Community Development

Section 65585 of the California Government Code requires that local agencies submit draft housing elements and amended housing elements to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review and comment prior to adoption of draft housing elements and/or amended housing elements. The City of Sausalito submitted the Draft Amended Housing Element to HCD on September 5, 2024, and subsequently participated in meetings with HCD staff on the topic. On November 4, 2024, the City received a comment letter on the proposed Amended Housing Element, which is provided below:

HCD Comments Letter from Melinda Coy, Proactive Housing Accountability Chief, dated November 4, 2024, can be viewed here.

Housing Element Adopted January 30, 2023

Housing Element FAQ

Articles about the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update from Sausalito Currents