2013-2021 Housing Element

State Housing Element law (Government Code Section 65580 et. seq. ) mandates that local governments adequately plan to meet the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of their communities. The City's current Housing Element was adopted by City Council on February 11, 2014 via Resolution No. 8168.  On October 25, 2016, City Council amended the Housing Element via Resolution no. 8471. One of the responsibilities of the Development Services Department is to implement the City's General Plan Housing Element. This page is where information regarding the development of housing within the City may be accessed. Implementation of the Housing Element is ongoing, so please check back often as this page will be continually updated.

The City's 2013 - 2021 Housing Element ( Housing Element Appendices only ) (6.8 MB; last update 12/2016).

On March 5, 2014, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certified that the adopted 2013-2021 Housing Element (5th Cycle) complies with State Housing Element law. HCD Certification Letter .

On March 14, 2017, HCD informed the City that the 5th Cycle Housing Element complies with State Housing Element law: HCD Compliance letter .

Initial Study : Negative Declaration (Environmental Document)

Other Documents

Click here to download the City's 2008-2013 Housing Element , adopted February 28, 2012 (1.5 MB)`

Housing Element Goals & Policies

Goal A: To Designate Sufficient Land to Accommodate Placerville's Share of El Dorado County's Future Housing Needs

  • Policy 1: The City will maintain an inventory of vacant residential sites, to be updated annually.
  • Policy 2: As needed, the City will annex land within its Sphere of Influence (SOI) to maintain an adequate supply of residential land.
  • Policy 3: The City will promote infill development by identifying suitable sites, design goals, and potential development incentives.

Goal B: To Facilitate the Development of Housing for Special Needs Households

  • Policy 1: The City will allow overnight shelters and transitional housing facilities for homeless individuals and families in appropriate zoning districts.
  • Policy 2: The City will implement state and federal requirements for persons with disabilities in new residential developments.
  • Policy 3: The City will facilitate the development of senior housing by working with senior housing providers to identify adequate sites, assisting in the acquisition of funds for low-income senior housing, and providing development incentives.
  • Policy 4: The City shall encourage housing that is affordable to the local workforce by identifying funding sources and potential sites that would make the production of such housing financially feasible.

Goal C: To Facilitate the Development of Housing Affordable to Lower-and Moderate-Income Households

  • Policy 1: The City will encourage the use of density bonuses and regulatory incentives as tools to assist affordable housing development.
  • Policy 2: The City will pursue state and federal funding to assist in developing housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households.
  • Policy 3: The City will review the Zoning Ordinance, permit processes, and development fees to identify and remove potential constraints to the development of a range of housing for all income levels and needs.
  • Policy 4: The City will review and, if necessary, revise its Hillside Development Standards to reduce their cost impact on housing while protecting the health and safety of Placerville residents and the character of the City.

Goal D: To Promote Equal Housing Opportunity for all Residents

  • Policy 1: The City will continue to distribute information on fair housing laws to residents, and refer discrimination complaints to the State Fair Employment and Housing Commission.
  • Policy 2: The City will cooperate with local homebuilders, real estate agents, and lenders to conduct an annual fair-housing public information campaign.

Goal E: To Preserve the Existing Housing Stock

  • Policy 1: The City will continue to provide rehabilitation assistance to low- and moderate-income households.
  • Policy 2: The City will conduct a housing condition survey to identify areas of the community most in need of rehabilitation assistance.
  • Policy 3: The City will continue to conduct code enforcement inspections on a complaint basis to ensure that the housing stock remains in habitable condition.
  • Policy 4: The City will continue to preserve historic structures within the City by encouraging re-use of viable buildings within historic districts.

Goal F: To Conserve Existing Affordable Housing Opportunities

  • Policy 1: The City will continue to cooperate with the El Dorado County Housing Authority to provide rental assistance to Placerville residents.
  • Policy 2: The City will continue to monitor the status of the government-assisted housing in Placerville and preserve the affordability of these units.
  • Policy 3: The City will conserve and improve mobile home parks that can meet minimum health and safety standards by working with property owners and residents to obtain funds for park improvements and/or conversion of parks to resident ownership.

Goal G: To Promote Residential Energy Conservation

  • Policy 1: The City will continue to implement the energy conservation standards under Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (state building code standards).
  • Policy 2: The City will continue to distribute information on weatherization programs, and pursue funding sources for weatherization assistance for low- and moderate-income households.
  • Policy 3: The City will promote energy conservation through its land use planning and development standards.

Regional Housing Needs

An important requirement of State Housing Element Law is that each city and county plan for its share of the region's future housing needs. In the six-county greater Sacramento area, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments ( SACOG ) prepared a Regional Housing Needs Plan (September 2012) that determines the regional housing needs for El Dorado County and the cities within the County. SACOG determines a projection of the amount of affordable housing El Dorado County will need for each planning period and then distributes that number among its participating jurisdictions. Placerville is a member of SACOG, and as such is subject to a Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirement. Under the SACOG plan, El Dorado County and its cities are responsible for accommodating an additional 5,136 housing units between 2013 and 2021, of which Placerville is responsible for 372. Of the 372 units, 39 of them are expected to be affordable to extremely-low-income households, 39 to very-low-income households, and 55 to low-income households.

The following table shows the number and percentage of housing units identified in the SACOG Regional Housing Needs Plan for Placerville, by income category, for the planning period between 2013 and 2021.


Regional Housing Needs Plan for Placerville (2013-2021)

Income Category RHNP Allocation
Number Percent
Extremely Low 39 10.5%
Very Low 39 10.5%
Low 55 14.8%
Moderate 69 18.5%
Above Moderate 170 45.7%
Total 372 100%


Source : Regional Housing Needs Plan, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, September 2012


Although Placerville is not directly responsible for the actual construction of these units, the City is responsible for creating a regulatory environment in which these housing units can be built. The development of affordable units can be encouraged through adoption and implementation of General Plan policies, zoning policies, and the provisions of financial and regulatory incentives.


City of Placerville
Planning Division
3101 Center Street
Placerville CA 95667

(530) 642-5252