Learn how the Housing Action Coalition is holding San Mateo County for their bogus housing plan.

Mountain View’s Gatekeeper Process is a review mechanism created to review proposed development projects that may require a new zoning designation, and has been the city’s main mechanism to build large-scale projects. Proposals must first undergo a “pre-review” by the council before city staff evaluates them. The intent of the current Gatekeeper process is to make project expectations more clear, and simplify the path to council approval. 

In June of 2023 the San José City Council moved to adopt their housing element prior to state certification from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). HAC, alongside our coalition partners, firmly advocated against the city’s decision. However, San José’s staff felt confident that the housing plan they drafted met the state’s requirements and would be certified by HCD; if revisions were needed, they would be minor. Yet on August 28th, HCD sent the city a 9-page rejection letter, highlighting a number of issues with the housing element draft they sent.