Overview
The Housing Element of the Riverside County (County) General Plan identifies and establishes a policy guide to address the housing needs of the residents within the County's unincorporated areas. It premeditates County decision-making and sets forth an action plan to implement its housing goals for the 6th Cycle Housing Element update, through 2029.
The 2021-2029 Housing Element was adopted by the County of Riverside Board of Supervisors on June 25, 2024, and certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development on July 31, 2024.
Housing Element Requirements
California Government Code Section 65583 requires the Housing Element to include the following components:
- Review of Prior Housing Element: Evaluation of previous goals, policies, programs, and objectives to determine overall effectiveness.
- Housing Needs Assessment: Analysis of housing needs and inventory of available resources and constraints.
- Preservation of Assisted Housing: Analysis and program to maintain and preserve assisted housing developments.
- Housing Goals and Policies: Statement of community goals, quantified objectives, and policies for housing maintenance, preservation, improvement, and development.
- Implementation Program: Eight-year schedule of actions to implement Housing Element policies.
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Housing Element Organization
The Housing Element is divided into two documents. The Housing Element Policy Document and the Housing Element Background Report.
Policy Document
- Introduction: Overview of State housing requirements, the purpose of the Housing Element, document organization, RHNA, and General Plan consistency.
- Goals, Policies, and Actions: Defines the County’s housing goals, policies, and implementation actions to address housing needs in unincorporated Riverside County.
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Background Report
- Efforts to Achieve Citizen Participation: Summary of public outreach and participation during the Housing Element update.
- Evaluation of the Previous Housing Element: Review of prior goals, accomplishments, and differences between projected and actual outcomes.
- Community Profile: Overview of demographic, economic, and housing characteristics, including population, income, employment, and special housing needs.
- Housing Resources: Assessment of housing stock, development patterns, opportunities for future housing, and energy conservation considerations.
- Housing Constraints: Analysis of governmental (e.g., zoning, standards) and non-governmental (e.g., financing, land costs, environmental factors) barriers to housing development.
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Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) Allocation
The Regional Housing Needs Plan, which is mandated by the State of California (California Government Code Section 65584) and requires regions to address housing issues and needs based on future growth projections for region. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) allocates regional housing need numbers to regional councils of governments throughout the state. The Regional Housing Needs Plan for Riverside County is developed by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), who allocates to cities and the unincorporated county their “fair share” of the region’s projected housing needs.
On March 4, 2021, SCAG adopted the 6th Cycle Final RHNA Plan for the 2021-2029 planning period. The allocation for the unincorporated County of Riverside is a total of 40,647 housing units. The County must identify sites to accommodate these units in the Housing Element.
2021-2029 Unincorporated Riverside County Regional Housing Need | ||
Income Category | Income Range* | 2021-2029 RHNA |
| Extremely Low | $0 - $26,500 | 5,185 |
| Very Low | $26,501 - $39,500 | 5,186 |
| Low | $39,501 - $63,200 | 6,627 |
| Moderate | $63,201 - $93,000 | 7,347 |
| Above Moderate | $93,001 or more | 16,302 |
| Total |
| 40,647 |
| Source: SCAG, March 2021 *Based on a four-person household | ||
Housing Goals
The Housing Element includes the following five goals:
Goal 1 - New Construction: Support new housing to meet the needs of current and future residents across all income levels.
Goal 2 - Innovative Housing Types: Promote diverse and innovative housing that supports affordability and mixed-income communities.
Goal 3 - Affordable Housing: Encourage the development, maintenance, and preservation of safe and affordable housing..
Goal 4 - Special-Needs Groups: Address the housing needs of special populations, including seniors, families, farmworkers, persons with disabilities, and those in need of emergency shelter.
Goal 5 - Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: Promote fair and equal housing opportunities for residents of all demographic backgrounds.
Implementation Actions
Implementation actions are shown below, each corresponding group of policies and briefly describe the proposed action, the County agencies or departments with primary responsibility for carrying out the program, the funding source, and the time frame for accomplishing the program. Several of the implementation programs also identify quantified objectives.
Housing Element Drafts & Final Document
- Adopted Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element (2024.06.25)
- Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element Draft with Appendices (2024.05.30)
(Changes to adopted Housing Element redlined) - Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element Draft with Appendices and Tracked Changes (2024.05.13)
(Changes since last HCD submittal have been highlighted in purple) - Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element Draft with Appendices and Tracked Changes, as submitted for HCD Review (2024.01.08)
(Changes since last HCD submittal have been highlighted in yellow) - Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element Draft with Appendices and Tracked Changes (2023.12.13)
(Changes since last HCD submittal have been highlighted in yellow) - Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element Draft with Appendices and highlights (2023.06.14)
- Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element Draft (2023.02.15)
Previous Hearings
Date | Hearing | Staff Report & Attachments |
June 25, 2024 (06/25/24) | Board of Supervisors (BOS): Consent Item | |
June 4, 2024 (06/04/24) | Board of Supervisors (BOS): Public Hearing |
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December 20, 2023 (12/03/23) | Planning Commission (PC): Public Hearing |
Previous 6th Cycle Project Outreach Schedule
Date | Meeting | Agenda |
October 28, 2020 (10/28/20) | 6:30 p.m. | ||
November 4, 2020 (11/04/20) | 6 p.m. | ||
November 5, 2020 (11/05/20) | 6 p.m. | ||
November 10, 2020 (11/10/20) | 4:30 p.m. | Agenda | |
November 10, 2020 (11/10/20) | 6 p.m. | Agenda | |
November 12, 2020 (11/12/20) | 6 p.m. | Agenda | |
November 12, 2020 (11/12/20) | 6 p.m. | Agenda |
Additional Meetings
Virtual Workshop (Countywide meeting): February 16, 2021 (02/16/21) | 6 p.m.
Planning Commission Study Session: February 17, 2021 (02/17/21) | 9 a.m.
Click here to view the PC WorkshopVirtual Workshop (ECV focused meeting): February 18, 2021 (02/18/21) | 6 p.m.
Link to Original Project Webpage - 6th Cycle Housing Element Update
Previous Public Hearings
Hearing Body | Date | Notice | Agenda / Action |
Board of Supervisors | June 25, 2024 (06/25/24) | N/A | |
Board of Supervisors | June 4, 2024 (04/04/25) | ||
Planning Commission | December 20, 2023 (12/20/23) | ||
Planning Commission (Workshop) | March 1, 2023 (03/01/23) | N/A | |
Board of Supervisors | September 28, 2021 (09/28/21) | ||
Planning Commission | September 1, 2021 (09/01/21) |
Contact Us
Jordan Leffew | Assistant Planner
Chad Brown | Senior Planner
Phayvanh Nanthavongdouangsy | Principal Planner
[email protected]
(951) 955-2525
County Administrative Center
12th Floor - Planning Department
4080 Lemon Street, 12th floor
Riverside, CA 92502
(951) 955-2004
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