Housing Element

What is the Housing Element?

The Housing Element is one of the ten State-mandated “elements” or chapters of a local jurisdiction’s General Plan. It outlines policies and programs to address the existing and future housing needs of all community segments, including various household types, special needs populations, and all income levels within the jurisdiction.

Madera is currently updating its 6th cycle Housing Element for the years 2024-2032 and invites community participation through outreach meetings, providing input, and staying updated on progress.
The Housing Element must meet detailed statutory requirements and undergo mandatory review by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

Please participate in the Housing Element Update Survey by following the links in the Community Engagement section below.

Meetings:

Housing Element Community Meeting #1:
March 21, 2023 (View Recording)
March 21, 2023 (View Slides)

Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA)

The Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) is mandated by State Housing Law as part of the periodic process of updating local Housing Elements. The State Office of Housing and Community Development (HCD) projects population growth by geographic region and designates the regional Councils of Government (COGs) to allocate potential growth among jurisdictions within the regions. The Housing Element must identify “adequate sites” to accommodate estimated growth, and the City must provide the programs, policies, and appropriate zoning to incentivize this growth.

While the City may assist with the development of affordable housing through various programs and funding sources, it is not responsible for constructing housing directly. Instead, the City ensures adequate opportunities for housing development through zoning and removing regulatory impediments.

The Update Process

• Existing conditions, community demographics, and housing stock.
• City processes, fees, zoning requirements, local ordinances, and development standards related to housing.
• Environmental constraints.
• Availability of infrastructure and services.
• Fair and equitable housing practices and opportunities for all community segments.
• Currently adopted 5th Cycle Housing Element policy programs.

Through this analysis, the City identifies priority goals, policies, and programs to address the housing needs of current and future residents. The Housing Element Update must also include a specific site analysis to demonstrate that the RHNA targets can be met. If not, the Update must indicate specific properties that will be rezoned to meet the RHNA within the required time limit.

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) is a set of federal and state laws requiring jurisdictions to combat housing discrimination, eliminate racial bias, undo historic segregation patterns, and lift barriers to foster inclusive communities and ensure fair housing choices. The 6th Cycle Housing Element Update must study whether the City meets these AFFH principles and take deliberate action to address disparities resulting from past segregation.

More information about AFFH can be found on HCD’s website.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is critical for the success of the Housing Element Update. The Madera community will have multiple opportunities to collaborate through community workshops, focus groups, surveys, and Planning Commission/City Council public meetings. Stay tuned for upcoming participation opportunities, which will be posted on this webpage as they become available.

The first draft of the 6th Cycle Housing Element update has been posted to this webpage (see below) for a 30-day public review ending on April 2, 2025.

The community is encouraged to submit comments or questions to our Community Development Director, Will Tackett, at wtackett@madera.gov.

Housing Element Update Survey

English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MaderaHEU
Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MaderaHEU_Espanol

2024-2032 Housing Element Update

View the Draft 2024-2032 Housing Element Update.