SCAG Surveying Local Jurisdictions to Kick Off RHNA Process
SCAG is surveying member jurisdictions to inform development of a proposed methodology for the 7th Cycle of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) process.
RHNA is the process required by the state every eight years to determine housing needs at all income levels in California communities. The process ensures cities and counties plan enough housing to meet future demand when updating local housing elements. SCAG launched the 7th Cycle RHNA process on June 4, when the Regional Council approved the membership of the new RHNA Subcommittee.
The survey will gather information from local jurisdictions to develop a methodology to guide SCAG as it allocates housing need among jurisdictions in the region. The methodology will be reviewed and approved by SCAG’s RHNA Subcommittee and the SCAG Regional Council before it can be deployed. The methodology must also comply with state requirements and consider local housing needs, planning conditions, and local work to affirmatively further fair housing. The survey is intended to help SCAG understand local planning conditions and affirmatively furthering fair housing efforts as it develops the proposed methodology, not to reduce the region’s overall housing need.
Because local input is essential for SCAG to collect the necessary information to develop the proposed 7th Cycle RHNA methodology, SCAG is surveying all member jurisdictions through a two-part, complementary survey. The first part, the Local Planning Factor Survey, will be conducted pursuant to California Government Code Section 65584.04(b). It asks jurisdictions to describe the level of opportunity or constraint associated with specified local planning factors. The second part, the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Survey, collects information about local fair housing issues, strategies, and actions. Jurisdictions may draw upon existing assessments of fair housing, analyses of impediments, housing element analyses, community engagement efforts, and other relevant sources.
Throughout the 7th Cycle RHNA process, SCAG will engage jurisdictions, stakeholders, and community members with information to learn about the process, review materials, participate in meetings, and provide input.
All SCAG jurisdictions are encouraged to complete the survey by 5 p.m. on Jan. 29, 2027.