The Town of Los Gatos recently announced its plan to implement a Housing Element Advisory Board. Up to four town residents will be selected to join the Town’s General Plan Committee and prepare strategies for accommodating 1,993 new housing units for the next eight-year period. The Town’s allocation was determined by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) according to the Bay Area’s state-issued Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
Interested residents must submit an application to the Town Clerk by Friday, Sept. 10 at 4:00 p.m. in order to participate. The Town Council plans to conduct interviews on Tuesday, Sept. 21 in the late afternoon and early evening (dates/times subject to change). Applicants must be age 18 or older (and no longer in high school) and reside within the town’s incorporated limits to be eligible to join the board.
In accordance with state Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirements, the Housing Element section of the town’s General Plan must be updated every eight years (the overall plan is updated every 10-20 years). The Housing Element Advisory Board must develop plans for incorporating 1,993 new housing units by 2023.
The town council made the decision to incorporate Los Gatos residents into the housing advisory board after councilmember Matthew Hudes argued against excluding the public from the housing discussion process. There has also been debate amongst residents on how to approach housing densification while addressing concerns including traffic increases and matching architectural styles of new and existing developments. The Housing Element Advisory Board will be tasked with making strategy, concept, and policy recommendations to aid the General Plan Committee in its preparation and planning, according to the board application.