Affordability Requirements

The Placer County General Plan's Housing Element  defines the affordability requirements.  The affordability requirements are included in the following General Plan policies:

Policy B-12:  The County shall require that any privately-initiated proposal to amend a General Plan or Community Plan land use designation of Agricultural/Timberland Resort and Recreation, Open Space, General Commercial, Tourist/Resort Commercial, or Business Park/Industrial to a land use designation of Residential or Specific Plan include an affordable housing component.

Policy B-13:  The county currently requires 10 percent of residential units in specific plans be affordable (i.e., 4 percent very-low, 4 percent low, 2 percent moderate). On a case-by-case basis, the County shall consider allowing developers that provide extremely low-income units to reduce the required percentage of other affordable units.

Policy B-14:  The County shall consider requiring 10 percent affordable units, payment of an in-lieu fee, or comparable affordable housing measure(s) acceptable to the County, for any General Plan amendment that increases residential density.

Policy C-2:  The County shall require new development in the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe areas to mitigate potential impacts to employee housing by housing 50 percent of the full time equivalent employees (FTEE) generated by the development.  If the project is an expansion of an existing use, the requirement shall only apply to that portion of the project that is expanded (e.g., the physical footprint of the project or an intensification of the use).