San Jose's Housing Plan: Is It Really Working?

The Problem with the Current Plan

San Jose is reviewing its General Plan, a process that occurs every four years. However, the current plan, Envision 2040, may be hindering rather than helping the city's housing goals.

• Before 2007, San Jose built a comparable number of homes to Seattle.
• After 2007, the introduction of Envision 2040 aimed to build 170,000 new homes by 2040—about 6,000 homes per year.
• But there's a catch: The plan mandates high-density housing—at least 50 units per acre.
• Tall buildings require steel and cement instead of wood, making them more expensive.
• Fewer buyers are interested in these costly homes, leading to lower developer interest.
• Result: San Jose now builds only a fraction of the homes Seattle does annually.

The Updated Plan's Shortcomings

The updated plan does not acknowledge the failures of the previous one. Instead, it calls the old plan "comprehensive and forward-thinking." However, it fails to address how to build affordable homes.

• Other cities, like Sacramento, have revised their plans with expert input.
• Why isn't San Jose doing the same?

Solutions: What San Jose Could Do

San Jose has plenty of land and could meet the state's requirement of 7,750 homes per year. Yet, in 2023, it only allowed 2,000 homes to be built.

• Allow lower-cost, mid-density housing (20-35 units per acre).
• Re-evaluate the 70% of the city not zoned for housing—there must be opportunities for development.

Why Aren't These Changes Being Considered?

These adjustments are not radical, but they could significantly impact housing availability. Why aren't they part of the plan review?