Page 2 - Housing Needs Allocation News Today

Atherton will have to continue to refine its state-mandated housing plan after receiving feedback from the state housing department that its plan still doesnt pass muster.

The Portola Valley Town Council opted not to approve its latest iteration of its state-mandated housing element in a split vote last week, and now expects to revisit it in May.

The Portola Valley Town Council will take the final steps to approve the towns housing element on Wednesday, seeking to wrap up a state-mandated document that was due to state on Jan. 31.

The draft housing element is expected to be adopted in late March.

Atherton officials are looking into annexing county land that could be turned into housing for educators and school staff, a different approach to state-mandated housing goals for the town.

A coalition of Atherton residents has offered its own alternate housing element proposal, which eliminates controversial zoning overlays included in the towns already submitted plan. The City Council is set to discuss it Wednesday.

With three options on the table and a looming state-mandated deadline on Jan. 31, the Woodside Town Council agreed to include fewer units on town-owned sites in its housing strategy, but stopped short of adopting the plan.

Around 250 people turned out for Atherton City Councils Tuesday meeting to sound off about the towns contentious efforts to craft a state-approved plan for building housing over the next eight years.

With under a week until the deadline for a compliant housing element, and facing possible fines and other repercussions, the Portola Valley town staff announced they wont submit the plan to the state next week.

Theres still work to be done on Portola Valley housings element in order to comply with state housing law, and town officials believe they can pass muster by the end of January.