Opportunity Housing Zoning Changes

PAC*SJ is closely monitoring a proposed General Plan amendment that would allow for the construction of up to four housing units on parcels currently zoned for single-family residences within targeted areas proximate to transit corridors and/or adjacent to existing multi-unit developments. These so-called "Opportunity Housing" zones are intended to expand and diversify the stock of affordable housing in San Jose. As currently envisioned, these policies would include provisions to limit the displacement of current neighborhood residents and to protect against the demolition of historic resources.

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While PAC*SJ strongly supports the goals of housing affordability, we have serious concerns about unintended consequences of the current proposal. Older and historic neighborhoods in San Jose already provide much of the city’s higher-density, more affordable, and transit-convenient housing stock. Unfortunately, many of these same neighborhoods do not appear on the City's Inventory of Historic Resources, leaving them vulnerable to demolition under the current proposal. For the Opportunity Housing concept to succeed, it cannot allow the demolition of the very housing stock it purports to support.      

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What You Can Do

 

Information on public hearings and other opportunities for public comment will be posted on this page as dates are announced. You can also contact your City Councilperson to demand that the Historic Resources Inventory be updated before any Opportunity Housing programs are implemented. This must be a robust survey effort that includes significant public outreach to help identify important neighborhood characteristics, contributing building types, and architectural and cultural landmarks, with an emphasis on identifying and designating eligible Historic Districts and Conservation Areas.

 

More information on the Opportunity Housing proposal, PAC*SJ's position, and the importance of historic preservation in housing affordability are available on the project links to the right.