To comply with the state’s requirement to update the housing element, the City of Del Rey Oaks approved a new element and submitted it to the state by the required deadline of December 31, 2019. Through the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, the City of Salinas is updating its housing element to accommodate the 6th cycle housing allocation in 2023.

• The Housing Element was updated by the City of Del Rey Oaks.
• The City of Del Rey Oaks was last updated in 2019.

• The City released a Draft Housing Element in May 2023 for RHNA’s 6th cycle.
• LandWatch sued the City over the Housing element in January 2020.
• The City approved the Housing Element on December 17, 2019.
• The City considered the Draft Housing Element on November 25, 2019.
• The Initial Study/Negative Declaration for the draft Housing Element was released October 24, 2019, but was updated in December 2019.

• Significant Impacts
  The Housing Element was adopted with a Negative Declaration stating there were no significant impacts to the environment.
• Water Supplies
  Several parcels are above the already overdrafted Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin and pumping would further deplete the groundwater.

LandWatch engages in the public process in a variety of ways. For this project, here is a list of our engagement strategies.

• Letter: LandWatch Comments on DRO Draft Housing Element (168K PDF)
  LandWatch has reviewed Del Rey Oaks Public Review Draft Housing Element and applauds the attention and policy focus to support the City’s most vulnerable community members. We support the goals to eliminate constraints and make it easier to build housing consistent with Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). However, we are concerned that the draft relies exclusively on sites on the former Fort Ord to comply with RHNA. These sites are very problematic and may not be feasible for residential development. (07.15.23)
• Letter: LandWatch Comments on the Draft Housing Element (165K PDF)
  LandWatch provides substantive feedback on the Draft Housing Element supporting the focus on the most vulnerable populations. The letter also offers suggestions such as policies related to density bonuses. (06.15.23)
• Letter: LandWatch Comments on the Housing Element (134K PDF)
  LandWatch comments about affirmatively furthering fair housing efforts and points out that the 241 acre Site 1 in Fort Ord, which is quite isolated from services and opportunities, may not be ideal. On the Site 1A, 18.5-acres, some of this land could be retained for affordable housing. (06.07.21)
• Lawsuit: LandWatch Files Lawsuit Against Del Rey Oaks (237K PDF)
  The Housing Element approved by the City Council of Del Rey Oaks fails to consider the environmental impacts and failed to keep its Housing Element current. (01.03.20)
• Letter: LandWatch Relays CEQA and Housing Element Concerns (9.7M PDF)
  After conversations with the City and City Attorney, LandWatch was unable to support either Housing Element being proposed by staff. The issues relate to compliance with CEQA, groundwater pumping, and the availability of land for housing—among other topics. (12.16.19)

• Del Rey Oaks Wants to Build, But Has No Water
  An opportunities and constraints report will be presented to the Del Rey Oaks City Council that outlines the primary constraint–lack of water. LandWatch has been keeping an eye on this area within the former Fort Ord. (10.26.21)
• Plan Ignores Impacts and Water
  The Council voted 4-1 to adopt the new Housing Element—just in time for the state’s December 31st deadline—but the plan lacked essential information. This plan approval prompted a lawsuit by LandWatch on CEQA and lack of water sustainability. (01.04.20)
• Del Rey Oaks Approves Plan and Gets Sued
  Trying to meet a December 31st deadline the Del Rey Oaks City Council approved its updated housing plan on December 17th—its first update in 27 years. LandWatch promptly filed a lawsuit focused on lack of water supply and impacts to the environment. (01.04.20)
• LandWatch Raises Concerns on Housing Plan
  While the initial invitation to LandWatch to sit at the table and discuss the Housing Element was a welcoming one, that changed.  The City’s lack of analysis for water on a specific parcel of former Fort Ord lands coupled with other concerns turned talks sour. (12.26.19)
• Del Rey Oaks Drafts Housing Plan
  The City of Del Rey Oaks plans to adopt its new Housing Element prior to the deadline of December 31st. Included in the mix is the requirement to build 86 units of varying levels of affordability. (12.10.19)
• Council to Consider new Housing Element
  On December 17, the City of Del Rey Oaks has a public hearing to consider its new Housing Element, which focuses on becoming compliant with state laws. Specifically, the effort to meet the state’s allocated Regional Housing Needs Assessment numbers for the city. (12.10.19)