The 6th Cycle Housing Element is Here
Pacific Grove’s 6th Cycle Housing Element is finally up for a vote.
This decision will shape where new homes can be built, who they can serve, and how much say our community keeps over future development.
If you’ve heard the term “Housing Element” and thought, I should probably know what that is…, this post is for you.
What is the Housing Element?
California requires every city to adopt a new Housing Element every eight years.
For the 2023–2031 cycle, Pacific Grove must zone for 1,125 new homes.
The Housing Element is the plan that decides:
Where those homes can go
Who they can serve – including working families, seniors, and low-income neighbors
It’s one of the main tools we have to create affordable housing.
What This Changes
Because PG is mainly built out, meeting our requirement means upzoning—allowing more homes than today in certain areas.
The plan would:
Rezone commercial corridors (Downtown, Forest Hill, and others) to allow more apartments and higher-density housing
Rezone specific sites on Sinex, Dennett, Grove Acre, and Sunset to allow more homes
If Council votes yes, the zoning map changes and developers can propose higher-density housing in these areas under clear, updated rules.
What About the Environment?
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for this plan finds significant, unavoidable impacts to:
Historic resources
Greenhouse gas emissions
Noise
By adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations, Council would be saying that the need for homes outweighs those impacts.
Doing nothing is worse: without an adopted Housing Element, the state can let developers bypass our local rules, leading to projects that are less thoughtful and could be even more harmful to the environment.
Call to Action
Approving the Housing Element means:
PG is doing its fair share on housing for working families, seniors, and low-income neighbors
We keep more say over how and where homes are built
We can actually start turning affordability goals into homes
Before Wednesday’s vote, please email City Council:
Ask them to:
Certify the EIR
Adopt the 2023–2031 Housing Element
Approve the related General Plan and zoning changes
One short email now helps decide how and where homes get built in Pacific Grove.
Share With a PG Neighbor
If you found this helpful, please:
Share this post with one PG friend who cares about housing, local autonomy, and the environment
Encourage them to email Council, too
This is how we move from acknowledging a housing crisis to actually creating homes in Pacific Grove.
